Couragix Hearts
by pinkrose064
Summary: Why are the Winx able to defeat enemies like Valtor over and over? Determined to find the answer so she can beat the Shaman Witch, Icy and her sisters decide to disguise themselves as young fairies and enroll in Alfea. But what happens when their roommate instantly identifies them? And why is she, a fairy, willing to help them in their quest?
1. A New Beginning

"Remind me again why we're doing this, Icy?" Darcy asked. Any plan that involved disguising themselves as fairies was a plan she wasn't overly fond of.

"I told you Darcy, we need to find out what it is about the Winx that lets them keep beating enemies like Valtor, never mind us." Icy said. "Maybe it will give us a clue on how to obtain the power that we're seeking. And I told you to call me 'Sapphire.'."

"Do you know how hard it is going to be to put up with having to act like fairies for an entire school year, maybe more?" Darcy asked, "Assuming that nobody at Alfea catches on."

"We can let loose in our room." Icy assured her. "As long we don't attract attention anyway. Now, let's review. I'm Sapphire, Stormy is Sunny, and you're Darla."

"Why did you pick such a lame name for me?" Stormy asked.

"Because the idea is to _not_ stand out." Icy replied. "Now let's go."

ウィンクズ

"This school will be your home for the next three to five years." Griselda, the head of discipline began once all of the new students had lined up before her. "But this home can cease to be yours at any moment. The rules of this institution are based on discipline. Disregard these rules and I'll personally escort you to the front gate. This is not a magician's school. You're not here to learn 'hocus pocus'. Consequently, you may not use your powers in the hallways or other common areas. In fact, the only place where you may display your powers is in your classroom under teacher supervision."

"Great..." Darcy said with a roll of her eyes, and Icy elbowed her to knock it off as Faragonda approached with the various instructors.

"Ladies, here comes your headmistress—Attention." Griselda called.

A redhead standing near the Trix sighed.

"Oh, really, there's no need to be so stodgy." Faragonda told Griselda. "I hope Miss Griselda hasn't frightened you too much. Welcome to Alfea, the best fairy school in the whole of Magix. Mind you, it's also the only one. Come on in ladies. Here we are." She said as she opened the front door to the school. "And so we begin our orientation session, by the end of which, we should all know each other better. Becoming a fairy is hard work. But I know everyone here can do it. Keep in mind that the teachers and I are always here to help you. Okay, enough with the boring stuff. Feel free to explore your surroundings. But be very careful, there are dangers lurking about. Stay away from the witches of Cloud Tower." At this, the redhead raised her hand. "Yes, Rosella?" Faragonda prompted.

"Headmistress Faragonda, I understand that witches and fairies generally don't get along, but is it really good to have a rule like that? The primary difference between witches and fairies is what kind of emotions we use to channel our powers. Witches primarily channel their powers using negative emotions, while fairies primarily use positive emotions, but beyond that, we're not really that different. Witches aren't inherently evil, nor are fairies inherently good. After all, Headmistress Griffin was a member of the Company of Light, just like you. On the other hand, Diaspro of Erakylon has been known to use her powers for selfish means and even go so far as to align herself with those who would threaten the Magic Universe itself. Isn't the real reason that we don't get along the fact that we understand so little about each other and make no attempts to change that. Witches assume that fairies live easy, happy lives, free from worries, but nothing could be further from the truth. Meanwhile, fairies assume that witches are capable of caring only about themselves, but that's not true either. If we were not fundamentally the same, we wouldn't have the ability to choose to change our class."

Griselda blinked and looked at woman with blonde hair, "You're going to have a field day with this one, Professor Daphne."

"I've heard that the Witches of Cloud Tower often attempt to play tricks on those of us who attend Alfea during the welcoming party held between Alfea and Red Fountain, but isn't that really because their feelings are hurt that they weren't invited?" Rosella continued, ignorant of Griselda's comment. "I believe that if we truly wish to preserve harmony within the magical universe, we should first seek to foster understanding between fairies and witches in order to promote peace between us."

There were various murmurs among the students along the lines of "Is she nuts?" Or "Is she kidding?" and "Why would we want to be friends with witches?" Hearing this, Rosella subconsciously grasped her arm with her opposite hand and hung her head. Seeing this, Daphne stepped forward.

"If I may, Miss Faragonda, Rosella is correct. Professor Griffin did fight alongside you and my parents to protect Domino from the Ancestral Witches. On the other hand, despite being a fairy, Diaspro of Erakylon actually tried to _kill_ Bloom on the day of my coronation. Maybe witches and fairies have more similarities than either side wants to believe."

Faragonda smiled and nodded at Daphne before walking over to Rosella and placing a hand upon her shoulder, causing the young girl to look up at her while biting her lip. "You have a kind and noble heart, Rosella. It's very honorable that you wish to understand those who are different from you." The woman told her gently. Rosella smiled weakly, but immediately curled back into herself as Faragonda stepped back. "All right. That's enough girls. You are dismissed."

Rosella remained where she stood as the other girls dispersed, chattering amongst themselves and still whispering about her. She only looked up when she noticed Daphne approached her.

"Hi, I'm Daphne." The woman said with a friendly smile, "I teach History of Magic here at Alfea, but it looks like you already know a lot about it."

"Professor Daphne!" Rosella said with a smile before looking down shyly, "Actually, you were the reason I decided to come to Alfea. I'd probably fit in better at Lynphea College, but... I really wanted to take the opportunity to learn from you."

"You like history that much?" Daphne asked in surprise. Very few of her students had such enthusiasm for her subject.

"I believe that learning about the past can help us to avoid mistakes in the future." Rosella explained, "Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean that it's the _right _way. And... the past doesn't dictate the future, but they aren't unrelated either. The past influences the present, and the choices that we make here and now will influence the future." Daphne nodded and Rosella smiled wistfully. "And also... knowing the past helps us to find who we are. Like your sister, Bloom. By learning about her past, she discovered the truth of who she was and created a bright future."

"Have you spent a lot of time talking to Bloom or something?" Daphne asked a hint of curiosity.

"Not a whole lot." Rosella replied, "But I've studied the exploits of the Winx since someday, it will be called history' too."

Daphne nodded in understanding, "Well how about I show you around?"

"I appreciate the offer, but... to be honest, I think I'd rather just find my room and try to avoid attention for a little while..."

"I understand. Follow me."

When they were finally alone in the hallway, Darcy spoke to her friends. "Wow, was that girl a joke or what?"

"Seriously? Fairies and witches learning about each other?" Stormy asked, "It was all I could do not to laugh in her face."

"Even the fairies thought she was lame." Icy agreed, "I don't think that girl is gonna last long here. Not from what I saw today. But never mind that. Come on, let's go find our room."

ウィンクズ

"Oh sweet, we have the same room!" Stormy said when they found their dorm and entered.

"Well at least that makes things easier." Icy remarked as the three of them walked in.

"But... wait, there are three bedrooms, but this door over here says that Stormy and I are sharing one. Do we have a roommate?" Darcy asked.

"That's right, you do." Came a slightly familiar voice as the door to the third room opened and Rosella walked out, "And quite frankly, you're lucky that you wound up with me for a roommate... Trix."

"What? How did she figure out who we are?!" Stormy exclaimed.

"Stormy!" Darcy scolded as Icy face-palmed.

Rosella snorted, "Oh please. You guys are terrible at imitating fairies. Besides, I'd recognize your neuro-patterns anywhere. But you don't need to worry. If I was going to expose you to the faculty, I would've done it at orientation."

Icy raised a brow and relaxed slightly, realizing that the girl had a point. "So why didn't you?"

"Because I can tell that this time, you didn't come to Alfea with evil intentions, but rather, a genuine desire to learn." Rosella said.

"What did you mean by 'neuro-patterns'?" Darcy asked.

"Simply put, brainwaves, but that's a little misleading." Rosella told her. "I'm not a telepath, I'm an empath. I can sense people's emotions and personalities. Every person is unique, so even if their personalities change with time, I can still identify them." She waved a hand at the door to their dorm, pink sparkles flying from her hand as it hit the door and cast a glow over it briefly. "There. That soundproofing spell will keep anyone from overhearing our conversation. It'll get broken if somebody knocks though."

"So, let me get this straight." Stormy began, "You know who we are, but you're _not _going to rat us out to Faragonda. ...Why?"

"I already told you, I can sense that you're not here to wreak havoc." Rosella said as she leaned on the doorframe to her room, "That being said, if you guys don't want to get kicked out within the first week, I suggest you use today to learn what fairies are really like."

"We've passed ourselves off as fairies before." Darcy said with annoyance.

"It doesn't count if the Winx and instructor or instructors are too distracted by a rampaging sphinx or a horde of mummies to pay any actual attention to your behavior." Rosella said with a raised brow. "Plus, you guys have got to learn how to do magic using positive energy by the end of today, or the instructors are going to see right through you tomorrow."

"Positive energy?" Stormy asked while wrinkling her nose, "But we're _witches_!"

"They might not do it very often, but fairies _can_ use negative energy. It stands to reason that witches can use positive."

The Trix looked at each other, and then Icy turned to Rosella with a raised brow. "And you can teach us how to do that?"

"The basics, yeah."

"Well, then, go ahead Teach." Darcy replied, almost sarcastically.

"Not yet." Rosella said with a shake of her head. "For one thing, we'll need to go off of school grounds for that. If you mess up and use negative energy by mistake, the faculty will notice. Besides, it's better to start with a break down of what fairies are _really _like. There are a lot of misconceptions that I need to at least _try_ and get out of your heads."

"Like what?" Stormy asked with a scoff as they followed Rosella into her room.

"Best to start at the beginning." Rosella replied, "Rule number one: Fairies are not a bunch of bubbly, carefree, happy-go-lucky airheads who walk around with their heads in the clouds." She said bluntly while sitting on her bed, "Our lives are not perfect or easy. We have problems just like everyone else. We laugh, we cry, we get mad, and we have days where we just wanna scream at everything in frustration. We're no different from other girls, except for the fact that we have powers, and where witches are concerned, even that difference doesn't exist. Above all, we do _not _smile constantly. Doing so is just totally unnatural, so can it with the fake happy faces. You're making yourselves look like you're made of plastic. Which brings us to rule number two: Fairies are not always nice. Some can be downright mean like Diaspro, but even more... ahem.. traditional fairies are not immune to fits of jealously or acting petty or even acting like spoiled brats. It's not even unheard of for fairies to play pranks, but they usually only pull them on other fairies. Because, you know, _that_ makes sense." She said with a roll of her eyes. "So if you guys need to let off some steam... well... just don't take things too far. Anything that puts somebody else in actual danger will get you kicked out of Alfea and metamorphosis spells are totally off limits. It's needs to be temporary and with no lasting harm done... at least nothing that anyone can see. How a person reacts emotionally is somewhat out of your control. That being said, I wouldn't take it too far. Play too many pranks and people will start to ostracize you and say you should become witches, which will get the attention of the faculty. Plus, playing pranks makes you more likely to slip up and use negative energy by mistake. Which I guess brings us to rule number three: If you didn't notice during orientation, fairies are not always friendly toward everyone. Frankly speaking, I envy you three. A friendship like yours is rare. I'm a fairy and I don't have any friends at all."

"But I thought fairies _liked_ having friends." Stormy said in confusion.

"I never said I was a loner, I just don't have any friends. Or at least, I don't have any friends who have powers."

"Why?" Icy asked.

"My powers freak people out." Rosella said simply, closing her eyes in resignation, "And my ideas that are born from them are considered a bit, um, radical. Even fairies are prone to ostracizing other people who aren't like them."

"What did you mean when you said a friendship like ours was rare?" Icy asked.

Rosella opened her eyes again and looked up at them. "I mean that the three of you have a powerful bond of friendship that surpasses that of most people, regardless of their 'class'. Darcy and Stormy, when Icy was infatuated with Tritannus, even though you were beyond annoyed with her, you didn't abandon her. I mean, yeah, you might've gone off on your own for a little bit, but when Tritannus betrayed her, you were right there to help her pick herself back up. And during the final battle against Valtor, the three of you chose to stand against him, together. I'm sure there have been times when you've fought with each other, but ultimately, you've never allowed something to permanently tear the three of you apart." She looked at the ground, "I've seen many friendships simply fall apart for one reason or another. People have a falling out over something petty... they get busy and drift away." She looked back up at them, "You say that witches are loners, but you three have always been together. You have each others' backs. The bond you share is a rare gift, a valuable treasure that can be more powerful than any magic. That's part of the reason I believe that the three of you are capable of using positive energy. Especially you, Icy. In addition to your friendship with Darcy and Stormy, I can sense that there is a deep love in your heart. In days past, it wasn't something I could feel, but now I can tell that deep down, you have a noble heart. That's also part of why I want to help you."

"How do you know so much about us anyway?" Darcy asked.

"Well if you haven't noticed, I'm kind of a history fanatic." Rosella said as she drew a book over to her using her powers, "And history is just as much the recent past as it is what happened centuries ago, so I've done a lot of in-depth study on both you guys and the Winx. Aside from that," She closed the book and set it aside, "I grew up in a place that's close to Gardenia, on Earth. So I've been around during a few incidents. That's how I knew your neuro-patterns to start with." The red-haired teenager abruptly stood up, "But enough about that. Let's head out so that I can teach you the basics of using positive energy to control your magic so you don't blow your cover on day one tomorrow."

* * *

Part of a new story inspired by Icy's backstory in Season 8. I don't know if they're going to make a season 9 or not, so I'm just writing this for fun.


	2. Odd Future

"Okay, using positive energy is obviously the reverse of using negative energy." Rosella began when she and the Trix had arrived in a clearing in the forest a little ways from Alfea. "Your powers are the same, you just need to channel them using positive emotions instead of negative ones. For example... by thinking about things that make you happy."

"Wait, so like happiness, friendship, love...?" Stormy asked, "Bleh!"

"First of all, we've already discussed that you three have a true friendship regardless of your designation as witches." Rosella deadpanned, "Second, I said positive _emotions_, not positive intentions. There was nothing positive about Diaspro trying to kill the princess of Domino, but she's still somehow a fairy. Even if you're witches, you still have things you like and that make you happy."

"Honestly, the emotion that I feel most of the time is anger." Stormy replied.

"Yeah, we're going need to work on your temper." Rosella deadpanned again, "But I know at least one thing that makes you happy." She added with a smirk, "Dancing. I _know_ you like dancing, Stormy. And you're good at it."

"Okay, you got me there." Stormy said with a slight smile.

"So for you, just... think about dancing. Maybe even dance _while_ you practice. It might help." Rosella suggested before turning to Icy, "You probably have it easiest, Icy. For you, you can think about who or what is that you love and are so determined to save. Those feelings right there are a solid foundation for positive energy. For Darcy... um... what _do _you like, Darcy?"

"Illusions." Darcy answered, and Rosella smacked her face.

"Okay, let's try to think _outside_ the realm of your powers for a moment."

Darcy looked thoughtful for a moment, "I like jazz music." She finally said, "And even if I don't like admitting it, it's obvious that I can't hide from you the fact that I care about Icy and Stormy."

"Wait, you like jazz?" Stormy asked in surprise.

"I play the sax sometimes. It relaxes me." Darcy told her.

"That explains a few things." Rosella muttered. "Okay, well, try working with that. I'll watch you guys and, I don't know, let you know if you're using positive energy or not I guess." She said as she sat on a rock. "I wish I could do more to help, but I'm really not supposed to use my powers out here without a faculty member present, and I think I'm already breaking enough rules as it is."

"I think we can work with what you gave us." Icy told her. "At Cloud Tower, we had an exercise for learning to concentrate negative energy. We should be able to do the same thing with positive."

ウィンクズ

Some time later, the Trix had made considerable progress by using the exercise that Icy had mentioned. Suddenly, the sound of Rosella humming caught their attention, and they looked over at the younger girl to notice her dancing as she hummed a cheery tune they didn't recognize.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Darcy asked.

"Huh?" Rosella turned toward them in surprise. "Oh, I was just... Sorry, I got bored." She admitted.

"What song was that?" Stormy asked as the three of them got to their feet.

"Oh, uh... It was nothing." Rosella said, blushing with embarrassment and looking away, "It was just... a song I came up with while you guys were honing your positive energy skills."

"So let's hear it." Icy said, and Rosella immediately looked more flustered.

"No! You guys will think it's totally lame! It's _way_ too... cheerful." She insisted, "At any rate, I can't. I've already tapped into my powers more than I should just by humming it."

"Ugh, all this positive energy stuff is giving me a headache..." Stormy muttered in annoyance, not really too concerned with the matter of Rosella's song. "Can we stop now?"

"It's getting dark, so we probably should." Rosella noted, "You guys are probably fine with it, but I don't really wanna be in this forest after dark. Why don't we head into the city? We don't have to go back to our dorm just yet, and we could probably find something to do that will cure Stormy's headache."

"Like what? It's not like we can just let loose on the city." Stormy pointed out.

Rosella rolled her eyes, "I _meant_ that we could probably find a music club or something that you guys would like."

"Uh, I'm not sure if you'd survive in the kind of clubs we'd like to go to." Darcy said pointedly, looking over Rosella's very fairy-like outfit.

"First off, you guys are disguised as fairies, so any place I'm not welcome, you won't be welcomed to either." Rosella pointed out, "Second, if you haven't noticed, I don't exactly fit in with other fairies either, so I can pretty much handle being a misfit anywhere because I'm kind of one everywhere."

"Point taken." Icy said, "But I know of at least one place where we can probably all manage. Let's go."

ウィンクズ

"Okay, we're almost there. It's just around this corner." Icy told them a while later as they walked the streets of Magix. "We should probably change up our outfits before we go in."

"I don't know how to do those kinds of spells yet." Rosella pointed out, "The soundproofing spell from earlier is about the extent of what I can do at the moment."

"Well I guess we shouldn't be surprised. You _are_ a freshman." Darcy replied.

"I'll take care of it." Icy told her. "But mind giving us some tips on... fairy fashion?"

"The colors that you used to wear for civilian clothing will be fine." Rosella told her, "Outside of that, just something... stylish, I guess. Not that I particularly know what that is. I'm lucky I even own something this normal. My grandma's tastes are a little... eccentric..."

Stormy snorted in amusement. "Your _grandma_ picks out your clothes?"

"We live deep in a forest, all right?" Rosella said in annoyance, "I don't get to go shopping very often."

"Like I said, I've got it." Icy said as she waved a hand at Rosella. The teenager's top changed to a white, sleeveless blouse with matching white gloves, her red skirt transformed from ruffled tiers to a straight, single layer, and her hot pink sneakers turned into hot pink ribboned pumps instead. Rosella examined herself in a window as the Trix changed their clothes into a more up-to-date version of their old civilian outfits.

"Hm... it's not bad..." She commented, "But I feel like it's missing something... Some kind of decoration around the neckline, maybe."

"You know, I think you're right..." Icy said thoughtfully as she examined the blouse carefully before smiling. "I know what it needs. Some crystals!" She waved her hand and the neckline, top edge of the gloves, and Rosella's headband became decorated with small, pink crystal accents.

Rosella looked in the window again and nodded. "Perfect!"

Icy smiled. "Come on, let's go." She said, gesturing for Rosella to follow as they led her around the corner and into the club.

"Oh great..." Stormy said in annoyance as she took in the area around them. "The _Winx_ are here."

"It can't be helped." Icy said with a shrug as Rosella put a finger to her lip in thought. "This is the most popular club in the city."

"Actually, this works out perfectly!" Rosella said with a smile, "The Winx are faculty members! If they're here, that means that I can sing one of my songs! Er, not the one from earlier though. Something that fits this place. Darc—er, Darla, help me out! This song calls for a sax!"

"Wait, what?!" Darcy asked as Rosella dragged her over to the Winx. Icy and Stormy shrugged at each other and followed.

"Excuse me!" Rosella called as she approached the Winx. As soon as the younger girl stopped, Darcy yanked her hand free and crossed her arms in annoyance.

"Hey!" Bloom said with a smile, "You guys are some of the new students, right?"

"That's right." Rosella said with a nod. "I'm Rosella, and these are my roommates, Sapphire, Sunny, and Darla."

"Nice to meet you." Stella said with a smile, "Great outfits!"

"Uh, thanks..." Icy said, managing a flustered smile.

"Hey, Miss Musa, as the Fairy of Music, you're able to know how a song is meant to sound instantly, right?" Rosella asked, quickly getting to the point before Stella could say something conceited that would tick off the Trix.

"That's right." Musa said with a nod.

"There's a song I want to perform." Rosella explained, "The problem is, I literally just came up with it and so I haven't written the musical accompaniment."

"So you need me to handle the backup? No problem." Musa said with a nod.

"Great!" Rosella said with a smile, "Darla, when I give the signal, I want you to come in with a sax solo."

"Uh, and do what?" Darcy asked.

"Just... ad lib it for about... thirty seconds." Rosella told her.

"Okay..."

"What about us?" Icy asked.

Rosella smiled at her and Stormy, "We came here to dance and relax. This _is_ my way of letting loose, and Darla likes the sax, so you guys just have fun dancing."

"Oh we can definitely do that." Stormy said with a smirk.

"Great!" Rosella said as she followed Musa and Darcy to the stage.

Musa grabbed the mic and introduced Rosella, then created a DJ booth for herself on the stage and nodded at the younger girl. Rosella smiled as Musa laid down the first beat before she began to sing: "I keep my ideals alive! They fuel my li-ai-ai-ah-ife!"

"It's going through!" Musa added her own voice with a bit of autotune.

Rosella swayed to the music for a few beats before continuing. "Ooh... As soon as you fly hi-igh, you can't deny the starlight. You love the contradiction shaking you-oo-ou."

"Even if you fall, take one step." Musa sang with her, "You can breathe again in one step. It can be that easy again in one step, and that's it."

"Another endless day fading into the night..." Rosella continued, "Oh... it goes on. Every day, all the same like a game... But when you close your eyes, you feel alive, and maybe that's the reason why... you're... dreaming! Your mind rewinds, but still this endless sky, it can't fill your heart. So let's break free! Escaping the reach of the ni-ai-ai-ah-ight!" For some reason, Icy couldn't help but feel like the song was intended for her as the girl continued. "The future... that we're looking toward... loses clarity, so we just look away for a moment, and we see that we can be the heroes straight out of our dreams!" Stormy and other guests in the club started dancing happily, Rosella performing her own moves on stage to the electronic beat while Musa added some backup vocals.

"Yeah, hey! ...Yeah, hey! Ooh, our future! Yeah, hey!"

Rosella grabbed the mic again and sang the next verse with Musa backing her up. "In this world, you're gonna reap what you sow. Breaking free from the rust in your soul. Gotta rise from a dark history. But you fell for these lies cause you believed..."

Musa backed off as Rosella continued, "That you could start again if you threw it all away. But that mistake could've sealed your fate. But now today, you've opened up your eyes, and you feel so alive!"

"What's going on?" The redhead proceeded as Musa joined her again, "We've just begun! Everything you've left undone! You can't rewind the days but you can change your directio-ah-on... What's going on? Cause I can see... that no one else is quite like me. A realm of possibility and so my... tears... they disappear. The meanings change, and they all fa-a-ade. New days, they're on the horizon, so let's go-oh-oh-oh-oh...! Do your best! Are you excited? The connections flow, coursing through my veins." At this, Rosella failed to notice the small ribbons of pink sparkles that flowed out from her body and throughout the room. "So let's go! The dark, it won't dare hold us ba-a-a-a-ack!" The stage lights dimmed with Rosella's signal (courtesy of Stella) and focused on Darcy as she began the sax solo that Rosella had insisted she play while Musa added in her backup vocals again.

"Yeah, hey... Our future... Yeah, hey..."

Rosella failed to notice that she was practically glowing, as well as the fact that nearly everyone in the crowd had responded in some way to the energy that literally everyone had been touched by. Icy was now certain that the song was meant for her. Or at least the lyrics were. When the solo ended, the oblivious young fairy grabbed the mic and began singing again, "You're dreaming! Your mind rewinds, but still this endless sky, it can't fill your heart. So let's break free! Escaping the reach of the ni-ai-ai-ah-ight! The future... that we're looking towards... loses clarity, so we just look away for a moment, and we see that we can be the heroes straight out of our dreams!"

Musa joined the younger fairy once more for the last part. "I keep my ideals alive! They fuel my life and love and I must've somehow lit a spark to feed that fire! I... can see the path now! It's calling ou-ou-ou-oh-out!"

The crowd burst into applause as Rosella, Musa, and Darcy all bowed before leaving the stage.

"Wow, that was great, Rosella!" Aisha remarked. The princess of Andros was certainly a person who could enjoy a good beat.

"And those pink sparkles you sent out made for an amazing special effect!" Stella added.

Rosella looked at the Solarian princess blankly. "What sparkles?" She asked in confusion.

"You know, the ones that you sent streaming all over the room." Stella said.

"When they touched me, I felt like you were telling us to never give up on ourselves, no matter what." Bloom added.

"I... did that?" Rosella asked, her surprise obvious.

"It wasn't on purpose?" Tecna asked in confusion.

Rosella looked down in embarrassment, "To be honest... I'm not really able to control my powers... I can't even transform..." She admitted. "This... coming up with songs on the spot thing is basically the only thing I can do..."

"I didn't know Alfea accepted fairies who haven't learned to transform." Tecna said in surprise.

"They accepted Bloom when she first came." Flora pointed out.

"That was because there was nobody for her to learn from on Earth. Bloom didn't even submit a proper application, thanks to _somebody's _bright idea to sneak her in under a fake name." Tecna said while glaring at Stella.

"But admit it, you're glad I did." Stella grinned.

"I'm _glad_ Miss Faragonda allowed her to stay after finding out." Tecna corrected.

"My grandma is friends with Miss Faragonda. She asked her to look after me." Rosella said. "She was hoping that maybe by coming to Alfea and being around other fairies, I would learn to understand how my powers work and how to control them."

"She doesn't know?" Flora asked in surprise, and Rosella shook her head.

"She's not my biological grandmother, so my powers aren't related to hers."

"So then, the reason why you can only do really simple spells, is..." Icy began.

"Yeah. I can only do basic stuff that any fairy could do, regardless of what kind of powers she has. Anything that requires me to understand my own powers doesn't actually work." The girl confirmed.

"That explains a lot." Stormy said.

"Well, we'll figure it out." Bloom assured her, "For now, we should head back to Alfea. Believe me, you do _not _want to get caught breaking curfew by Miss Griselda."

"That's for sure. Don't let her looks fool you, that woman is scary." Stella said, "She even gets onto us, and we're faculty!"

"She'll really get onto us if she finds out we were in the same place as you and _didn't _make sure you came back to the school on time." Tecna added.

Rosella laughed nervously and followed the Winx and Trix out of the club. When they arrived at the bus station, she suddenly remembered something. "Oh yeah, Sapphire, can you please change my clothes back? I like this outfit, but like I said earlier, I don't really have a lot in the way of _normal_ clothes, so..."

"No problem." Icy said, waving her hand and returning Rosella to her original clothing, "I teleported the other one to your closet back at the dorm, so you can wear it again later if you want."

"Thanks!" Rosella said with a smile.

"You can teleport things already?" Bloom asked with a brow raised, and Icy tensed, having momentarily forgotten that the Winx were right there.

"Sapphire is a... gifted student." Rosella explained with an awkward smile, "Total opposite of how I am."

Bloom shrugged, "Fair enough. At least you can do simple stuff though. I couldn't even _use_ magic for the most part when I came here."

"I've had longer to learn." Rosella said with an awkward laugh.

ウィンクズ

"Well, I see you managed _not_ to set a bad example for your students and came back on time, Winx." Griselda said when the ten girls got off the bus, startling Rosella and the Trix.

"What is she, a prison guard?" Stormy whispered.

"In this place, she might as well be." Darcy whispered back.

"Ow!" Both witches said quietly when Rosella elbowed them simultaneously. The teenager gave them a reproachful glare to remind them that they were supposed to be blending in as fairies.

"You should've seen Rosella on stage tonight, Miss Griselda!" Flora exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Stella agreed, "She, Musa, and Darla performed this awesome song that Rosella came up with on the spot and she sent these awesome pink sparkles out that touched everyone's hearts!"

Griselda's glasses nearly fell off of her face as she stared wide-eyed at Rosella. "Rosella, you used your powers in Magix?" She asked urgently.

"Well, yes..." Rosella admitted nervously, "The Winx were there, and since they're teachers here, I thought it would be all right."

"Hm..." Griselda said thoughtfully as she pushed her glasses back up, "I think I had better take you to see Miss Faragonda, Rosella. Winx, and you three," At this, she pointed to the Trix, "Come along too."

All of them glanced at each other in confusion and followed the woman.

ウィンクズ

"Let me start by assuring you that you are _not_ in trouble, Rosella." Faragonda began when the entire group had gathered in her office, "As you said, the Winx were there, so you weren't breaking any rules, but..." She closed her eyes, "I'm afraid there's something that I should've told you immediately after orientation." She opened her eyes and looked at the bewildered teen, "By using your powers outside of Alfea's grounds, you've placed yourself in great danger, Rosella."

"What do you mean, Miss Faragonda?" Bloom asked.

"I don't understand." Rosella agreed.

"Rosella, you know about the magic barrier that surrounds your home in the forest on Earth, correct?" Faragonda asked.

"Of... course..." Rosella said slowly, "Grandma told me never to use my powers while outside the barrier. At least not to the extent that I can control. Why?"

"At the request of your grandmother, we've erected a similar barrier around Alfea." Faragonda told her, "It doesn't hide the school from view the way the barrier around your house does, but it _does_ prevent your powers from being sensed by anybody who isn't already in the barrier when you use them."

"What's the point in that?" Stormy asked, and Icy nudged her to tell her to be quiet.

"It's for Rosella's safety." Faragonda explained, "Rosella, perhaps you should explain to everyone about how you came to your grandmother in the first place."

Rosella nodded and stared at the desk in front of her as she spoke. "I was just a little girl. I'm not sure how old, exactly. Grandma sensed some kind of magic being used near her home, which was weird, since the Earth fairies weren't there at the time. When she investigated, she found me alone and unconscious in the forest. She could sense that I had powers like she did, so she brought me to her cottage and looked after me."

"Your grandmother has always believed that somebody sent you to Earth to protect you, and that whoever they were trying to protect you from may very well be looking for you." The headmistress told her.

"What does that have to do with the barrier?" Icy asked.

"Because whoever is looking for Rosella may be able to use powerful search magic to scan the Magic Universe for any traces of her power." Faragonda answered, "The passive powers that Rosella cannot control would not be enough to trigger a reaction... but using her powers in the way she did tonight very well could." She turned her gaze back to Rosella, "Because you used your powers while you were not on the grounds of Alfea, whoever is searching for you may now know that you are here, in Magix. They may come here to find you."

Rosella teared up as she looked at her lap, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to place everyone in danger."

"It's not your fault." Faragonda assured her as she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, "I should have warned you not to use your powers while away from the school, even in the presence of faculty members."

"So what should we do now, Miss Faragonda?" Bloom asked.

"For the time being, you should all go to bed. You have class in the morning." The woman replied before looking at the Trix, "Sapphire, Darla, Sunny, I'm going to ask you three to keep an eye on Rosella, since she can't use her powers properly yet. Should anybody come looking for her, protect her until the Winx arrive. Understand."

"Yes Miss Faragonda." Icy said.

ウィンクズ

"Are we really going to do what Faragonda asked?" Stormy asked when they had returned to their room.

"Stormy, she's helping us out." Icy told her, "The least we can do is watch her back."

"I can hear you, you know." Rosella said as she walked into their room's common area. "Look, it's not like we won't have some warning. I can always sense when negative intentions are being aimed at me. If it's somebody who's powerful, I'm betting I'll be able to sense them from pretty far away."

"Yeah, assuming that barrier doesn't prevent you from sensing things outside of it." Darcy told her.

"If it does, that will mean that I'm inside the barrier, which will mean you guys won't have to deal with it because the faculty will." Rosella said with a smirk. "With any luck, if I do sense something coming, we'll have time to vacate and return to Alfea before it arrives."

"Fair enough." Stormy said.

"So I take it this is one of those passive abilities that Faragonda mentioned." Icy said.

"Yeah. I can't turn it off, even if I try." Rosella said with a shrug, "Of course, almost everything _else_ happens whether I want it to or not."

"Your grandma is a fairy too, right?" Darcy asked, "How is it that she wasn't able to teach you to control your powers."

"Apparently, powers like mine are very rare, and they're a lot more complex than the elemental magic that most fairies use." Rosella told her, "Grandma doesn't have the slightest idea where I originally came from or how my powers work. That's part of the reason that I came to Alfea. I'm hoping that Professor Daphne can help me to figure out what realm I was born in and maybe that will give me some ideas on how to use my powers. Of course, now that I know about the barrier, I'm guessing that Linphea College would've been out of the question even if I had preferred it."

"That's the second time you've mentioned Linphea College." Stormy pointed out, "Why?"

"Linphea's curriculum emphasizes living in harmony with nature and with others." Rosella explained, "My ideas about not judging a book by its cover wouldn't be so radical there. Plus, my hobby is gardening, although I'm not a nature fairy like Miss Flora. But now, I get the feeling that Alfea was my only real option." She shrugged, "It's not surprising. Grandma does things her own way, that's for sure. At any rate, I'm going to bed. Good night." She turned and walked into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

"We should go to bed too." Icy told the others, "If we want to survive tomorrow, we should at least be in a tolerable mood. Good night, sisters." She walked into her room and shut the door after Darcy and Stormy replied, and then held out her hands and allowed a pink, crystal flower, preserved within an orb, to appear in her waiting palms. She thought carefully about Rosella's song at the club. "'In this world, you're gonna reap what you sow... breaking free from the rust in your soul... Gotta rise from a dark history... but you fell for these lies cause you believed that you could start again if you threw it all away... But that mistake could've sealed your fate, but now today, you've opened up your eyes, and you feel so alive'...?" She sat down on her bed and thought carefully about the meaning behind the words. The rust in her soul... certainly, she was not the girl she once was. She had thrown her old self away, the girl was gentle, kind, and content with what she had, after Dyamond had been destroyed. Being a witch was definitely not what she had planned for herself as a child, but... She had indeed believed that if she threw away everything she had once been and had once believed in, she'd be able to create a new start for herself, for Dyamond, and for Sapphire. ""That mistake could've sealed my fate'...?" She pondered, closing her eyes in thought. Certainly, somewhere along the line, she had become so obsessed with obtaining power that she had forgotten all about Dyamond. Saving her home no longer mattered as she set her sights on dominance and conquest. If she hadn't been forced to return to Dyamond... if she hadn't remembered her promise, what would've become of her kingdom, and of Sapphire? She could feel her doubts washing away now. It was suddenly obvious that becoming just like the woman who had stolen everything from her was _not _the way to reclaim what was lost. When she had made the choice to stand against Valtor and give the final Prime Star to Bloom, it was the first time in many years that she had thought beyond herself and her sister. She had never felt so close to having the same courage as Sapphire... so close to the person she truly wanted to be. "'What's going on? You've just begun. Everything you've left undone. You can't rewind the days, but you can change your direction...'" Yes. She could continue to strive toward that goal, but now that she saw where she'd gone wrong, it was time to walk a new path. She smiled down at the flower, thinking of the enigmatic young fairy whose song was playing in her mind, and of the whispers to her heart that were carried within her magic. "Don't give up on myself, huh?"

* * *

Wanted to go ahead and finish this second chapter since people were asking. I'm going to use the first season of the series as kind of a guideline for the lessons, but other things are going to be different from any of the seasons released thus far. Also, I have no idea if Darcy plays the Sax or not. There is like, literally no info on what she likes outside of magic. It's stated that Stormy likes dancing and season 8 gives some ideas as to what Icy likes, but as far as I know, there's nothing on Darcy at all. I just threw in jazz and the sax because it seemed to fit her with the kinds of clothes she wears and stuff. ; If anyone knows something else, let me know! ;

Also, the song that Rosella sings is "Odd Future" by Amalee, who gives permission to use her works for non-monetary purposes. I just changed some of the pronouns around to fit the situation.


	3. Courage

_Icy sat on a swing in a park in Magix, gazing at the ground beneath her feet. The way she looked now, nobody would ever guess that she had been "Princess Icy of Dyamond" until a few years ago. After being left as the only person spared by the Shaman Witch, she had escaped from Dyamond, come to Magix, and enrolled in a middle school within the city. Nobody knew her identity or where she came from. She was just another preteen witch. Well, now she was a teenager, and would soon be enrolling at Cloud Tower._

_"What's wrong?" A young voice asked, breaking through Icy's thoughts. "Why are you sad?" She looked over to spy a young girl, maybe about the same age that Sapphire had been, gazing at her with concern. Judging by her energy, she was probably a fairy. Or at least, she'd probably become one someday._

_"Who said I was sad?" Icy said, narrowing her gaze at the girl and attempting to scare her. A witch never showed weakness, especially in front of someone clearly weaker than they were._

_"Well, no one __**said **__it." The young girl admitted, "I could just sort of... feel it, I guess."_

_'__**It must be an ability she possesses. She probably can't control it yet.**__' Icy thought to herself. "Well I'm not." She insisted._

_"Liar." The little girl said as she walked in front of Icy and sat on the swing next to her. Icy couldn't help but smirk in amusement at the girl's spunk, and she noticed that the child had fluffy red hair, pulled into a ponytail, with loose curls that flowed down her back. It was almost more wavy than curly. Almost._

_"Well that's what witches do. We lie." Icy said with a sly grin. She was still trying to frighten the girl, but the child seemed to find it amusing instead, because she laughed at Icy's reply._

_"But why lie about your feelings?" She asked, "That doesn't make any sense." She smiled sincerely at Icy, genuinely curious._

_Icy sighed, giving up on the idea of scaring the kid away. She was either dumb or as brave and reckless as Sapphire. "A little kid like you wouldn't understand." She said simply, "Why are you here, anyway?" She asked, "Shouldn't you be playing with the other little fairies instead of talking to a witch like me?"_

_"That's what they said too." The girl admitted, "They said their parents told them not to talk to witches. But my grandma never said anything about it to me, so I don't think I'm doing something bad. Besides, you were sad. That's more important to me than whether you're a fairy or a witch."_

_Icy sighed. "Well thanks for that, I guess, but there isn't anything you can do to help me, kid."_

_"Even if I can't fix what's bothering you, that doesn't mean I can't help you feel better." The little one insisted before her eyes widened. "I know!" She reached into the small purse she was wearing with both hands and pulled out a bouquet of blue flowers that looked like snowflakes. "Take these!" She insisted._

_"...How in the world were these able to fit in that little purse?" Icy asked as she took the flowers reluctantly._

_"Hehe." The girl giggled before explaining, "Grandma put a spell on my purse so that I can fit absolutely everything I want to in it without anything ever getting crushed! And when I reach my hand in, I always find exactly what I want!"_

_"I see." Icy said, slightly amused._

_"Rosella!" Called a woman in a singsong voice, and Icy looked over to see an older fairy standing nearby in a cloak. "Come along dear, time to go home."_

_"I have to go now." The little one said as she slid off of the swing, "Oh, before I go, what's your name?"_

_"...Icy."_

_"It was nice to meet you, Icy." The little redhead said with a polite curtsy. "Bye-bye!" With that, she ran off over to the woman who had called her. Icy couldn't help but smile just a little as she watched her go._

_"Who was that, Icy?" A voice asked. The teen__ looked over to see Darcy and Stormy, two other witches that she had met at her new school. Darcy had been the one to ask, and Icy couldn't blame her. The scene had to have looked pretty strange._

_Icy smiled dryly as she stood up. "A little fairy with no sense of danger." She quipped._

_"She gave you __**flowers**__?" Stormy asked. "Who gives a witch __**flowers**__?"_

_"You're right." Icy amended, "Scratch that, she had no sense at all. These aren't too bad though. At least they're my color."_

_"Fair enough." Darcy replied. "Anyway, let's go."_

_As Icy followed her friends, a small smile crossed her face. Despite all she had on her mind, somehow, she didn't think she'd ever quite forget the strange little fairy girl who'd given blue, crystal-like flowers to a witch._

ウィンクズ

Icy yawned as she woke up, the dream of her past still fresh in her mind. She now realized that the little girl from back then was the same fairy that she was now sharing a dorm with. And she was still just as weird.

"I should ask her what those flowers were called." Icy mumbled as she got up and headed toward her closet, stopping at the sound of yelling across the hall. "Huh?" She peeked into Rosella's room, only to find that the girl was apparently having a dream of her own.

ウィンクズ

_Rosella smiled as she squatted down to get a closer look at the flowers in front of her, her frilly red gown pooling around her feet._

_"Here you are, Rosella." Came a woman's voice. "I should've known I'd find you in your garden."_

_The little girl looked over her shoulder at the young woman who was approaching her. "Hi Amelia!" She said as she stood up. "Aren't my flowers pretty?"_

_Amelia chuckled. "They certainly are. It's because you take such great care of them."_

_"I was wondering, which do you think are prettier? The flowers on Linphea, or the ones here in my garden?" Rosella asked._

_"I honestly don't know..." Amelia said before kneeling down and placing her hands on the child's shoulders, "But I do know that no flowers could be happier than the ones cared for by you." Rosella giggled as Amelia rubbed their noses together._

_"Hey you know," The child began as she turned back toward the various blossoms, "I read in a book that on Dyamond, there are trees that grow flowers made of crystals! Do you think one of those trees could grow here, in my garden?"_

_"Hm... I don't know." Amelia admitted, "Dyamond is a planet of crystals, so it's soil is probably different than ours."_

_"Oh... so the soil may not be the right kind, huh?" Rosella said thoughtfully._

_"Even if it was possible, don't you think the sapling you'd plant might feel sad about being taken away from its home and friends?" The young woman asked._

_"That's true..." The little girl replied, "I wouldn't want to make a tree feel sad. In that case, I'd just have to start from the very beginning with a seed!"_

_"Huh?" Amelia said in surprise, "But wouldn't it take a long time for the tree to blossom then?"_

_"Yeah, but that's okay." Rosella told her, "It's worth the wait if the tree is happy." Amelia chuckled softly. "But you know, even if it's not possible for a tree like that to grow here, I still want to see Dyamond's crystal flowers someday..." She frowned and looked up at the sky._

_"What's wrong?" Amelia asked._

_"Something feels wrong... I can feel it in the air..." Rosella said, "Look, the plants feel it too." She added, pointing to the now closed flowers, "They're trying to protect themselves."_

_Amelia frowned as well. "We should go inside and find your parents. Come on."_

_Rosella took Amelia's outstretched hand and went inside the large palace with her. They walked through the halls and soon arrived at a throne room._

_"Mama, Papa, what's this awful feeling?" Rosella asked as she hurried over to her parents._

_Her mother knelt down and hugged her daughter. "It's just a bad storm coming, dear. Why don't you go to the library and read? The storm won't be as loud in there."_

_"Okay." Rosella agreed, walking off through another door to do as her mother suggested. She hadn't yet developed the sensitivity to realize that her mother had been lying to avoid frightening her. She entered the large library, quite possibly her favorite room in the castle, and smiled up at the walls lined with books before clearing her throat. "Library, please bring me the book titled, 'Fairytales from Every Realm'." The book in question pulled itself out of the shelf and flew down to Rosella, landing gently in her hands. She smiled as she looked at the cover. This was her favorite book in the library. It was one filled with fantastical adventures; some fictitious and others quite real, but all wonderful to read._

_The little girl gasped as the sound of thunder rumbled throughout the library. She shivered, suddenly feeling cold as well as frightened. What was this awful feeling surrounding her, permeating every inch of the palace? Just what kind of storm was this? She had never seen or felt anything like it in all her life._

_Suddenly, Amelia flew into the room, having transformed into what was obviously an Enchantix transformation. She immediately shut the door to the library behind her._

_"Amelia, what's going on? Why is it so cold and..."_

_"There's no time to talk, Rosella." The fairy interrupted, gently taking the girl by the hand and leading her over to a wall. "We need to move, quickly." She pulled on a sconce and a panel in the wall slid away, revealing a secret passage. She picked the little girl up and flew inside._

_"What is this?" Rosella asked. She noticed that the awful feeling wasn't quite as powerful in here._

_"It's a secret passage built for emergencies." Amelia explained, "It's enchanted to prevent magical energy from being tracked by people outside the tunnels. Until now, only your parents and I have known about it."_

_"Why?" Rosella asked simply._

_"Because I'm a guardian fairy." Amelia replied. She stopped upon reaching a wall and pulled the lever, the entrance opening into Rosella's bedroom._

_"You still haven't told me what's going, Amelia." Rosella said anxiously as she was placed on the ground, her book still in her arms. There was a sound like marching in the hallway. "What is that?" Suddenly, ice appeared from under the door and began to cover the entire room. "What's happening?!"_

_Amelia turned toward her. "I'm sorry Rosella..." She said as she placed a glowing hand on the child's forehead._

ウィンクズ

"Amelia!" Rosella cried as she awoke with a start. "Whoa, whoa, oh! Oof!" Due to having already been in a precarious position on her bed, her attempt to sit up had resulted in her falling on the floor instead. She heard a laugh above where she had landed headfirst.

"Nice landing." Stormy remarked.

Rosella huffed as she looked up, "You know, it's really not wise to tease your benefactor, Stormy."

"But it's fun."

Rosella rolled her eyes and tried to figure out the best way to get out of the odd position she'd wound up in. She was currently lying on her front, but only above her waist. Her thighs were currently being propped up in a vertical position by her bed and she couldn't figure out how to get up without being clumsy. Icy apparently noticed this and decided to take pity on her. "Here." She said, her hand glowing as she picked Rosella up with her powers and turned her so she was right-side-up before placing her on her feet.

"Whew, thanks." Rosella said with a nod before heading for her closet.

"That must've been some dream. Or nightmare, whichever." Darcy remarked as the teen pulled out her clothes.

"More like a memory..." Rosella murmured.

"Speaking of memories," Icy began, "I remembered that I've met you before, when you were a little kid. You gave me some blue flowers that looked like snowflakes."

"Oh yeah, I remember that." Rosella replied as she brushed her hair. "That was my very first trip to Magix. Those flowers were a unique species that Grandma cultivated. If you want to see them again, Miss Flora might have some in the Alfea Greenhouse." She turned and looked at the Trix. "You guys might want to get dressed." Darcy snapped her fingers and all three of them were dressed and ready for the day. Rosella rolled her eyes. "Show-offs."

ウィンクズ

"Wow, the food here at Alfea is great!" Rosella said as she sat with her roommates in the dining hall. "Grandma's cooking is a little... weird. It's nice to eat normal food."

"Your grandma sounds like quite the character." Darcy remarked, and Rosella laughed.

"Oh trust me. You'd know her if you saw her."

"Attention ladies." Miss Faragonda called to get the students' attention. "As is tradition here at Alfea, tonight, we will be hosting our welcome party with the Specialists from Red Fountain." At this, many of the girls cheered until Faragonda raised her hands for quiet. "The faculty and I have given careful consideration to Rosella's questions from yesterday, and after speaking with Headmistress Griffin at Cloud Tower, we've decided to invite the students there as well. This a chance to foster understanding between our schools. Remember to act like true fairies and don't judge anyone without first getting to know them." The students murmured amongst themselves and Faragonda looked over at the aforementioned redhead. "Rosella, as the one who made this suggestion, I would like for you to act as the Student Ambassador for Alfea and give students from both schools a warm welcome."

Rosella tensed, but then managed a smile, "Of course, Miss Faragonda."

ウィンクズ

"I'm doomed." Rosella moaned as she sprawled across her bed face-first.

"Why did you agree if you don't want to do it?" Darcy asked.

"Because if I didn't, I'd look like a hypocrite, and any chance of this actually turning out well would've gone down the tubes." Rosella replied without looking up. "Miss Faragonda put me on the spot. It was neither a good time nor place to explain that I'm afraid of crowds."

"You seemed fine at the club last night." Stormy pointed out.

"That was because everyone there was already in a good mood. That won't be the case this time. The atmosphere here will be chilly at best until I find a way to break the ice, so to speak." Rosella sighed as she flipped over onto her back. "Miss Faragonda wants me to give a speech, and greet the guests as they arrive."

"We can help you with the second part." Icy offered. "There's no reason why the welcoming committee has to be just you."

"I appreciate that, Icy, but it's better if you guys keep a low profile. Griffin might have an easier time spotting you than Faragonda."

"Well then at least let us coach you on how to get along with witches." Stormy told her.

"Yeah, cause seriously, if you're acting like a nervous wreck, those girls are going to walk _all _over you." Darcy said.

"And yet, I've survived being with you three thus far." Rosella said as she sat up. "Don't worry about it. I know how to read people well enough that I can blend in when I need to. I just don't like having to hide what I really think to fit in. I can handle socializing with the witches. The problem is how to socialize with them, and the fairies, and the specialists, and get them all to socialize with _each other._"

Stormy snorted. "Yeah. Good luck."

"And how to deliver a speech that _won't _turn the entire room against me."

"Good luck with that too." Darcy said.

Rosella rolled her eyes. "We should get ready for class. Our first course is Winxology, just so you know."

"Aw man!" Stormy exclaimed, "Why didn't you tell us that last _night_?!"

"Because I didn't want the thought of it to wreck your sleep." Rosella said flatly. "The last thing I wanted was to wake up to sharing a room with three sleep-deprived witches."

"Gee, thanks." Darcy muttered as she followed Stormy out of Rosella's room.

"Hey, Icy, do you have a minute?" Rosella asked.

"If you follow me to my room so I can grab my books, sure." Icy said, pointing behind her at her room across the common space. Rosella nodded and followed the older girl. "So what's up?" Icy asked, raising a brow as Rosella closed the door and cast her soundproofing spell over the room.

"Um, I hope you don't mind my asking, because it's not really my business, but... who is it that you're trying so hard to save?" She asked.

Icy chuckled in amusement, "You've always been kind of nosy, but actually, considering you're helping us to blend in here, I'd say it actually _is_ your business." She sat down on the bed. "You can't tell anyone about this. Darcy and Stormy are the only ones who know, and even they haven't known for very long."

"I won't. I promise." Rosella told her.

Icy sighed as she looked down. "I come from the kingdom of Dyamond." She began, "I was the eldest princess there. I had a little sister, Sapphire. In some ways, you remind me of her, in that you're brave and maybe a tad reckless." She said with a smirk. Rosella rolled her eyes, but smiled and waited for Icy to continue. "One day, when I was still young, Sapphire took me out to a meadow to introduce me to a mother fox and her cubs. I wove a crown of flowers while she and the cubs played. It was perfect. I never wanted it to end." She sighed again. "But it did. It ended way too soon. That very day, a merciless witch appeared out of nowhere with an army of ice golems. Everything around her began to freeze on the spot, even the tree we'd been under." Rosella gasped at this, recalling the last fragments of her dream. Icy didn't seem to notice as she continued telling her story, "She approached Sapphire and I and demanded to know where she could find our mother. I begged Sapphire to keep quiet, but she wouldn't listen. Instead, she defiantly refused and demanded to know what the witch wanted with our mother. I begged her to stop, but it was already too late. The witch cast a curse on Sapphire, turning her into a white fox cub. Then she approached me and demanded that I tell her where our castle was. I wanted to refuse her, but I was too afraid... so I pointed the way to our home..." Tears lined Icy's eyes as she remembered her own cowardice at that time. "The Shaman Witch cast a spell on our entire planet, encasing everything in ice. I was the only one she spared from this curse. I could do nothing but watch. Nothing but cry as I sat there, surrounded by the ice she'd made, my sister turned into an animal. But when I looked down at her, Sapphire looked at a flower I had dropped... and she smiled at me." She sighed again. "I vowed then and there that I would break the curses of the Shaman Witch. I promised Sapphire that I'd become as brave as she had been. I declared that I would become a stronger witch than the Shaman Witch, and that when I had become the strongest witch of all, I would come back and save everyone. Sapphire most of all." Icy sighed with regret as she wiped away her tears. "But in all the time that's passed, I've yet to achieve that goal. I've become stronger, to be certain, but I'm still not strong enough. I still can't break the curse on my sister or my planet. I've tried. And somewhere, in all of my efforts to become strong enough to save her, I lost my way. I became so obsessed with power that I forgot about my kingdom. And I really haven't become any more courageous. I'm just as much of a coward as I was back then. Though you're the only person I'd ever admit that to, if only because you'd be able to tell anyway." She sighed, "On that day, Sapphire told the Shaman Witch, 'the queen doesn't talk to witches.' I've never wanted to think about it, but... what would my mother say if she could see me now?"

Rosella smiled and placed a hand on Icy's shoulder. "You can still save them Icy. You may have taken a few—okay, a _lot_ of wrong turns, but you still haven't given up, and that's what's most important. Deep down, you have a truly noble heart. Who can fault a princess who would do whatever she had to, to save her people?" Icy looked up at Rosella in surprise and Rosella smiled before pulling her to the door. "Come on. I have something to talk about with all three of you." She opened the door and walked out, casting her spell on the entire dorm before calling for Darcy and Stormy.

"What is it?" Darcy asked, crossing her arms as she and Stormy entered the common area.

Rosella smiled. "Icy told me about Dyamond. You guys came to Alfea to find out what is the Winx have that you don't, right?"

"Yeah... Wait! Are you saying you know?!" Stormy asked.

"I've got an idea. Follow me." Rosella said as she headed into her own room. "Icy said that she hasn't found a way to break the spell that the Shaman Witch cast upon Dyamond yet, and I think I know why." She continued as she scanned the titles in her bookshelf. "You're trying to fight fire with fire, which generally speaking, doesn't work."

"What do you mean by that?" Darcy asked.

"I mean you're trying to defeat a witch's magic by using witch's magic, which is... not very efficient." Rosella explained. "In theory, yeah, if you became more powerful than her, you could take her down. In reality though, it's pretty hard to fight one kind of magic with the same kind of magic. It's way more effective to use the opposite type of magic. By using the opposite type, you could be at precisely the same level as her and still potentially win. You could even be weaker than her as individuals, but stronger together. You need to use magic that can nullify hers."

"Wait, are you saying what I _think_ you're saying?" Icy asked as Rosella found the book she was looking for.

"You need to become fairies." Rosella confirmed as she turned toward them, purposefully holding the cover of the book against her chest.

"But we're witches!" Darcy exclaimed, "Screw that! We're descendants of the _Ancestral_ _Witches_."

"That may be true, but you are not your ancestors." Rosella told her. "You don't have to let their legend define you."

"But is it even possible at this point?" Icy asked. "We're older than you, Rosella. It may not be so simple."

"I think it _is_ possible, actually." Rosella said as she walked into the common area, "The three of you never actually graduated from Cloud Tower, so technically, you never became full-fledged witches. That means there's still a chance. But it's not as easy as just flipping a switch, at least I don't think." She continued as she turned back toward the Trix. "First things first. What's the primary difference between witches and fairies?"

"Personality?" Darcy offered, seeming slightly annoyed.

"Friendliness?" Stormy offered, just as sarcastically. Rosella rolled her eyes.

"_Courage._" She corrected. "There are always exceptions, of course, but as a general rule of thumb, fairies possess courage while witches tend to lack it." She put the book in her backpack. "Witches might _say_ they're not afraid, but when faced with an enemy that they don't think they can beat, they usually turn tail and run, er, fly." She explained, "Fairies take on enemies regardless of their actual chances. Most of the time. Like I said, there are always exceptions." She slipped on her backpack as the Trix picked up their bags. "In order to become fairies, you three must first find the courage to face threats instead of fleeing from them."

"Icy?" Stormy asked, wondering about their leader's take on this.

Icy clenched her fist with determination, "I vowed that I would become as brave as Sapphire and save her and everyone we loved. If finding that courage will turn me into a fairy, and becoming a fairy will let me fulfill my promise, then I'll do it!"

Rosella smiled, flicking her hand as she disabled her spell and took Icy's hands in her own. "Somehow, you'd gone and lost your way. All this time, you led yourself astray... by following her blinding light and fragile footsteps!" She sang while pulling Icy into the hallway, Darcy and Stormy quickly following. "Though lost within a guideless haze, looking for a way out of this maze... I've never let a sole regret rain down on me!" She turned, still smiling as she clasped her hands behind her back and walked backwards while singing. "I will call infinitely... screaming until they hear me!" She turned forward and grabbed Icy's hand again. "Our breathtaking endless journey starts at last, beginning with your cue!" She dashed forward, dragging her roommates behind her. "It's time to shine, it's waiting for you! The world you once created inside your dreams is brought to life as it now leads you and I across the distant sky!" She sang while sliding down the banister to the first floor, forcing the Trix to do the same in order to keep up. "We'll set out toward that steady light, and though our dreams may change, we'll always keep it in our sight! Heyy! So bring it on my way!" She hummed a small interlude before continuing. "Barely visible ahead is the hope we're searching for, you said... 'although these scars are meant to heal, I'll keep them with me!'" She stopped walking and looked at the sky through a nearby window, clasping her hand near her heart, her expression distant, "At last, there's something I can gain. So for this, I will take all the pain and more." She looked at her hands, "But this alone is all I need, it's worth the price!" She clenched her hands before smiling softly at the Trix. "I know if I feel lonely... inside my perfect story... this sky you have to me is only just a taste of something more of what's in store..." She turned and began walking again, "Even with no end in sight, and though my feet are on the ground, the wind has made me light, and suddenly I feel spellbound!" She again didn't notice the sparkles flying from her body as she began dashing through the halls energetically with her roommates chasing after her. "The world you once created inside your dreams lives on somewhere!" She stopped at a large window and looked at the sky. "It's a future I would like to find and live my life!" She looked over at Icy before taking the older girl's hands in hers and pulling her to dance in a circle with her. "We are unique, like two bright stars, and in this world, we will be loved for who we truly are! Heyy! So bring it on my way!" She continued humming as she dashed out into the courtyard in front of the school, jumping up onto the edge of the well and balancing on it carefully. "Let's go find a new adventure! Travelling the world, though I know..." She held her right hand to her heart, "In my heart, we may part separate ways..." She jumped off the edge of the fountain and formed a circle with the other three. "So for a little while more, can we just stay as we are?" She took Icy's hands in hers. "I've put my faith in you and I'll always believe..." She turned and looked at the sky again as Icy smiled in bemusement, "The world you once created inside your dreams is brought to life... as it now leads you and I across the distant sky." Rosella sang softly, a soft breeze blowing through her wavy red hair. She turned back to her roommates and picked up the volume again, "We'll set out toward that steady light, and in this miracle lies the boundary that we will transcend!" She dashed back toward the inside of the school, the others following. "Once more, it's not the end! The world you once created inside your dreams is brought to life, as it now leads you and I across the distant sky!" She energetically dashed toward their classroom. "We'll set out toward that steady light, and though our dreams may change, we'll always keep in our sight!" Rosella turned toward the Trix as they reached the classroom. "Til our dreams unite! So bring it on my way!"

Suddenly the hallway erupted in cheers. Rosella opened her eyes in surprise to find that the hall was filled with other students and she blushed in embarrassment. "Wh-Where did all these people come from?!" She exclaimed.

Stormy smirked in amusement, "You've been attracting a crowd since the second verse."

"A word of advice," Darcy added, "If you don't want to attract attention, try not to open your mouth." She followed Stormy into the classroom. Before Icy or Rosella could say anything, a voice broke through the crowd.

"Miss Rosella!"

Rosella cringed and Icy offered her a sympathetic smile before heading into their classroom. "Y-Yes Miss Griselda?"

"What did I say yesterday about using your powers outside of class?" Griselda demanded.

Rosella's eyes widened, "Did I do it again?" She asked nervously.

"You most certainly did." Griselda confirmed, "The energy of your magic was sent all throughout the school. At least _this _time, you were inside the barrier though."

Rosella looked down, "I'm sorry... I don't even realize that I'm doing it. It just happens."

Griselda sighed, "Well please, try to refrain from _singing_ outside of class from now on."

"Yes Miss Griselda."

* * *

Okay, I admit, I like messing around with Rosella's singing and the powers that she can't quite control. Where exactly her singing comes from (since she's not a music fairy like Musa) will be explained in the next chapter.

Also, the song for this chapter is Courage (English Cover) by Amalee. No, there probably will not be a song in _every_ chapter, in part because I don't think I can come up with one that's available for use within FanFiction's terms for every chapter. The Amalee ones work because she gives permission to use them for non-monetary purposes.


	4. Hop, Step, and Jump

"Hey guys! Welcome to Winxology!" Bloom greeted when everyone had sat down. Rosella was sitting at the front of the room, whereas the Trix were sitting in the back, trying to at least look like they didn't _not_ want to be there. "In this class, we'll talk about spells and potions, but mostly we'll talk about how inner magic makes each fairy unique." Bloom held out her hand and allowed a small fire dragon to fly around the room before vanishing, causing most of the students to gasp in surprise. "The source of my magic is the Dragon Flame." She turned and gestured to Flora, "On the other hand, Flora's comes from nature." Flora created a flower and caused it to burst in a shower of petals as a demonstration. "Techna will show you how to create magical techno-gadgets from everyday technology." The Fire Fairy added.

"And when she gets too serious, I'll know how to lighten things up." Stella said, creating several orbs of light around the room.

"Musa's magic comes from music." Bloom continued before Aisha started breakdancing on the teacher's desk at the front of the room, "And like Aisha's showing us, if you want your magic to stay strong, you have to stay strong too."

"Working out and staying in great shape is the first thing we're going to cover, because it's the basis for all magical fairy skills." Techna added when she noticed Rosella raising her hand, "Yes Rosella?"

"I don't mean to throw us off schedule, but a fairy's source of magic is related to the realm she comes from, right?" Rosella asked, "Like how the Dragon Flame originates from Domino or how Linphea is a realm of nature, right?"

"That's right." Aisha said as she jumped off the desk, "All fairies have powers that come from the energy of their home planet."

"That's... what I thought..." Rosella said, frowning in consternation.

"What's the matter, Rosella?" Bloom asked.

"The thing is... I don't know what realm I was born in, so I don't know what the source of my powers is either." The young girl admitted.

"Aren't your powers related to music?" Musa asked in surprise.

"Not exactly." Rosella said, "By concentrating on a person's emotions and the things I wish to say to them, a song will just float up naturally in my mind, but... my powers aren't rooted in music. They're rooted in... emotions, I guess. I don't really get it. I can naturally sense the emotions of everyone around me, even the emotions of plants and animals. But the thing is... I can't control _any_ of it. How am I supposed to learn how to transform when I don't even know how my powers work or what they actually are?"

"Why don't you show us your powers now?" Stella suggested.

"Huh? But you saw them last night..."

"Well, yeah, but I wasn't paying attention to _that_. I was too busy dancing to your song." Stella told her, "By seeing Bloom's powers the first time she used them, I was able to help her grasp the very basics, since fire and light are related."

"I don't know if I have a song to sing..." The younger girl said hesitantly.

"What about that one you were humming yesterday?" Stormy asked, "The one that you wouldn't let us hear because there was 'no faculty around'?"

Rosella blushed and then glared over her shoulder at Stormy. She had been trying to find an excuse not to display her uncontrollable powers in front of the class. However, seeing the grin of amusement on Stormy's face, she abruptly changed her mind and grinned back. "Good idea. Thanks, _Sunny._" Her grin and tone made her message quite clear to the Trix. _"You're going to regret trying to embarrass me." _The redhead stood up and walked over to the Winx. "Can we move the desk out of the way so I have room? And can you provide musical accompaniment, Miss Musa?"

"Of course!" Musa agreed.

"You got it!" Tecna added as she shrunk the desk and moved it aside.

"Hold on!" Stella said as Rosella approached the dais. "If you're gonna perform, then you need to wear something you can _perform in!_"

Rosella smiled wryly, knowing that there was no talking Stella out of this, "Well, all right. Something suitable for dance class should be fine. This is an energetic techno pop song."

"You got it!" Stella said as she waved her hand. Rosella's clothes into a fuchsia long-sleeved tee, a short-sleeved white shrug, a red wrap skirt, white leggings, fuchsia leg warmers, and red ballet slippers. Her bouncy red waves were now pulled up into a ponytail tied with a simple white ribbon. She nodded her thanks and stepped onto the dais.

"Ready when you are!" Musa said.

Rosella nodded, took a deep breath to calm herself, and then began. "Hop, step, and jump!" She sang, hopping on one foot, performing a side step, and then jumping with both feet. "Drew, draw, drawn!" She gestured with both of her index fingers, causing small sparkles to appear before drawing a heart with her fingers, the sparkles forming the shape. "Chips, syrup, whipped cream!" She pointed to her upper right, straight up, and then to her upper left with her fingers, the sparkles forming images of a bowl of chocolate chips, a bowl of syrup, and a bowl of whipped cream in time with her gestures. "There are all sorts of... Hop, step, and jump! Drew, draw, drawn! Chips, syrup, whipped cream!" She repeated the steps, although this time, she hopped on the opposite foot and side-stepped the other way so that she was in the center again. "Who we want to be!" Rosella danced as the music entered a brief interlude, matching the beat perfectly. Her moves were rather impressive. "They see you as calm and strong and cool as ice. Though you could be called 'stylish', they do not realize—that the real truth is, you're not like that at all. Like any girl, you stumble and you fall. You want to push aside things like all of this pressure—and become an honest girl, but you know—they might start saying things like, 'that's not really her'. The time's come for your heart to un-lock~!" At this, Rosella's sparkles formed a heart-shaped lock that unlocked in time with her singing. She danced to the drumbeat that followed and then her energy began flying out as she sang. "Becoming the way you want to be is just fine! Your true and loyal friends are by your side!" Whether she meant for it to or not, some of the energy wrapped around the Trix and pulled them together, as if hugging them tightly. "Doing things the way that you want to is just fine! There's no way it won't be okay! Becoming the way you want to be is just fine! Having just one way would be too boring! Doing things the way that you want to is just fine! I'm sure, you can do anything!" Rosella danced to the next interlude, apparently not noticing that the Trix were none-too-pleased about having been briefly squashed against each other. Then again, she probably hadn't noticed that she'd done it in the first place. She was far too lost in her song. "I don't think there's anywhere someone is not wishing—That they could be different from the way that they are. After all, we're always trying to do things—That are too hard and going way too far." She placed her hands on her chest and closed her eyes, "Because everybody is supposed to have—A beautiful dream inside of their hearts... I won't just let them be labeled as 'good' or 'bad'." At this, she opened her eyes and pointed to either side of her, an X and an O appearing from her sparkles before she formed a heart with her hands and pretended to aim in front of her. "To negative hearts I will lock... on~!" She danced again to the beat before starting the second chorus. "Living the way you truly want to is just fine! Not bothering to worry is okay. Slacking off from time to time also is fine. Don't try to push yourself too hard! Living the way you truly want to is just fine! Who cares if others do not understand? If you're following the path that you believe in—It's fine to make some mistakes!" She danced to interlude that followed, not seeming to notice that her energy had all the fairies enthralled—The Trix had no wish to admit that they didn't hate the song. It was hard to with Rosella's positive intentions flooding their hearts, whether they wanted it to or not. Actually, Icy liked it, but she wasn't about to tell Darcy and Stormy that. "Becoming the way you want to be is just fine! Your true and loyal friends are by your side! Doing things the way that you want to is just fine! There's no way it won't be okay! Becoming the way you want to be is just fine! Having just one way would be too boring! Doing things the way that you want to is just fine! I'm sure, you can do anything! I know: Hop, step, and jump! Drew, draw, drawn! Chips, syrup, whipped cream! There are all sorts of... Hop, step, and jump! Drew, draw, drawn! Chips, syrup, whipped cream! Who we want to be!"

The classroom erupted into cheers—Darcy and Stormy were clapping for the sake of _not_ standing out—and the Winx walked back over to Rosella.

"Wow!" Bloom exclaimed, "Rosella, that was amazing! I thought this was the case last night, but now I'm sure: You have the power to reach people's hearts directly. It reminds me of our Believix powers."

"Yes." Tecna agreed, "But the Believix power only allows each of us to reach people's hearts in a way that is unique to each fairy. You seem to have the power to communicate any feeling you want to others."

"I didn't know that a power like yours could even exist!" Flora agreed.

"What about my singing?" Rosella asked with a tilt of her head.

"I don't think music really has much to do with it, now that I've paid closer attention." Musa answered, "Don't get me wrong, you're a good singer—and dancer—but I didn't notice anything particularly magical about your voice. I think you just use your songs as a way to channel your energy, without even realizing it."

"How could I be doing that when I didn't even know what my powers actually were?"

"A fairy doesn't have to _know _how, she just _does _it." Stella explained.

"Your powers are stronger than they were last night, too." Aisha remarked, "I don't think you noticed, but you were creating new visual effects with your magic to get your point across."

"What does that mean?" Rosella asked.

"It means you might be getting closer to being able to transform." Bloom told her.

"In order to transform, a fairy must possess courage, a strong will, and full belief in her magical abilities." Tecna explained.

"Um, can we get back to class now?" Stormy interrupted.

"Or what's left of it anyway." Darcy added.

"Oh, right." Aisha realized. "Normally, as an example of why physical fitness is necessary for a fairy, we would run through an obstacle course as a demonstration for you guys, but I don't think we need that today. Rosella's powers had a pretty strong effect on everyone, and that's partially because she's in such great shape, as we could tell by watching her dance." Right at that moment, the bell rang to announce the end of class.

"I'll speak to Daphne about your powers." Bloom told Rosella, "Maybe she knows about a realm where people are born with magic like yours. If not, she might have time to do some research before you attend her History of Magic Class this afternoon."

"Okay, thanks Miss Bloom." Rosella said with a nod. She was about to leave with her roommates when it suddenly occurred to her that she was still wearing her dance outfit. "Oh, um, Miss Stella? If you wouldn't mind?"

"Oh, no problem." Stella said, waving her hand and returning Rosella to her original outfit. Rosella nodded her thanks, grunting as she lifted her backpack and hurried to catch up with the Trix.

* * *

LOL. This chapter is kind of short (because for the most part, I am avoiding multiple songs in a chapter), but I liked being able to throw in the bit about Rosella turning the tables on Stormy when Stormy tried to set her up for embarrassment.

Also, the song is an English translation (with minor alterations) of a Japanese song called Kokoro no Tamago ("Egg of the Heart" or "The Heart's Egg"). The song is not mine, but the translation is my own work. :P


	5. An Enemy Appears

"Where the North Wing meets the East—There's a chamber that your heart will seek. Sleep my darling, safe and sound—For in this chamber, you'll be found. As her currents twist and turn—You'll find answers and your heart will learn. Listen carefully to her pleas—But not too long, or you might freeze. Yes, you will sing to those who'll hear—And in your song, magic will flow—But can you brave what you most fear? Can you face what your heart will know? Where the North Wing meets the East—There's a mother that your heart will seek. Come my darling, homeward bound—When all is lost, then you'll be found."

"I think that's the first time I've heard you sing without using your powers." Icy commented. Rosella turned and looked at her from where she was sitting in her window.

"Yeah. I guess it's because I'm just singing for myself." She explained, "That lullaby and my own name are the only things I have left of my past."

"What about Amelia?" Icy asked, "You screamed that name when you woke up this morning."

Rosella pursed her lips in thought. "I'm not sure..."

"I cannot believe you turned things around on me like that in Winxology." Stormy remarked as she came in with Darcy. "You were right. That song was way too bouncy."

Rosella smirked. "I warned you not to tease your benefactor, Stormy." She said as she stood up and walked over to her bed, "I believe I also warned you that fairies are not above playing pranks." She dumped the contents of her backpack onto her bed and tossed the bag aside.

"You're different from any fairy we've ever met, that's for sure." Darcy replied, "What are you doing anyway?"

"Ditching my backpack. It's too heavy and disorganized. I'll just put everything into my purse."

Darcy raised a brow at the flower shaped purse that Rosella picked up. "There is no way you are going to fit your textbooks in that thing."

The redhead grinned at her roommate. "Watch and you shall learn." She picked up one of her books and, despite its size, easily deposited the whole thing into the bag.

Icy smirked. "Another bottomless purse from your grandmother?"

"Best way to carry things." Rosella confirmed, "Although supposedly, there is a limit to how much this thing can hold. I've just never discovered it. Never saw a reason to carry that much with me at once I guess."

"You do seem like more of a minimalist." Icy agreed as she sat on Rosella's bed. "So have you given any thought to what you're going to do about this party?"

"I've got some ideas for decorations and stuff..." Rosella replied thoughtfully, "But mostly I want to help everyone see that witches and fairies aren't as different as they think." She turned to look at the older girl, "You and Miss Bloom are a perfect example of that, Icy."

Icy raised a brow. "In what way?"

"Well think about it." Rosella said as she sat down next to the older girl. "You're both princesses. At one time, Domino was once frozen over and all of its people were trapped in an enchantment, just like Dyamond. And just like Miss Bloom, you also have a sister who is under a curse that you would do anything to save. However, the way you responded to your situations up until recently and the paths that you chose were very different. Perhaps that's why you were so easily annoyed by her. You saw a girl who was so much like you, and yet, completely different. A girl who didn't waver in the face of danger. A girl who somehow managed to save everything and everyone she held dear. But then, that knowledge that you were different, and that that somehow impacted your ability to achieve the same results as her, is the whole reason that you came here in the first place, isn't it?"

"I see you haven't become any less nosy over the years." Icy said with a smirk before looking thoughtful, "But you're right. Even though we started out with similar fates, Bloom was able to _change_ hers, and I wasn't, and that made me mad. I couldn't help but wonder why I wasn't good enough. Why I couldn't _become_ good enough. Then, during the final battle against Valtor, I finally saw it. The difference between me and her. I ran from threats I thought I wasn't strong enough to face. Bloom faced them head on, even when things seemed totally hopeless. And I realized that she had what I'd been seeking all along. Courage. The courage as strong as Sapphire's that I had vowed to obtain, and had never even come close to."

"But that's _changed_, Icy." Rosella said with a smile, "_You changed_ on that day. You found the courage to stand and fight. To face what scared you. And now that you know what the difference is between you and Miss Bloom, she's not quite so annoying, is she? At the very least, you know that her life hasn't been particularly easy."

"Oh sure, except for the part where she had a happy childhood on Earth without a clue as to what had been taken from her." Icy quipped.

Rosella snorted, "I think she might've made up for that when she suddenly found out that she was a fairy with intense magical powers and came to realize that she didn't know a darned thing about who she really was. A shock like that will turn any girl's world upside down."

"Seems like she took it all in stride to me." Icy remarked.

"Mm, that's not how I recall it." Rosella said as she pulled out the book she had retrieved from the shelf that morning and flipped through the pages. "Oh sure, when she first found out she was a fairy, she naively believed that she had just somehow been born that way and didn't bother to question why she had powers and her parents didn't, even after they ran into the barrier around Magix. But let's see, how did she respond to the knowledge that she was adopted and had no idea who she really was again?" She stopped and pointed to a page. "Oh yeah, she was depressed. She sulked in bed for an entire day. And she cried. And she tried desperately to find answers, only to for you guys to trick her into thinking she was a witch."

"Are you trying to guilt-trip me now?" Icy asked as she looked at the book in her roommate's lap.

"I'm just saying that it was _hardly _a cakewalk for her. Plus, she had to obtain the Enchantix power through unorthodox means, and even then, she wasn't able to properly graduate until after Domino was restored. Do I need to keep going?"

"No. I get the picture." Icy said.

"What _is_ that book anyway?" Darcy asked.

"Don't tell me it's some kind of Winx fan book." Stormy asked while scrunching up her nose, and Rosella laughed.

"Hardly, although there are a lot of stories about the Winx in it. It's a... well, for now, let's just call it a magical history book. And I say that because we need to get moving to our History of Magic class with Professor Daphne, so I really don't have time to explain."

ウィンクズ

"Rosella." Daphne said when her class ended, "Bloom told me about your powers and how you don't know which realm you're from. I'm happy to help, but I was wondering if you could give me some more information?"

"Information?" Rosella asked, "Like what?"

"Well, do you remember anything about your realm at all?"

Rosella shook her head, "I don't think so... When Grandma found me on Earth, I had lost all of my memories..." She looked thoughtful. "Although..."

"What is it?" Daphne asked.

"I had a strange dream this morning." Rosella admitted.

"Can you tell me about it?" Daphne asked, and Rosella nodded.

"I was a little girl. Maybe about the same age as when Grandma found me. I was in a large flower garden. Then, a woman came looking for me. Her name was Amelia. We talked for a few minutes, but then I sensed something... really... wrong... I don't know how else to describe it. It was just this intense feeling that something _dangerous _was coming. The flowers felt it too. Amelia took me to my parents, and when I asked my mother what was happening, she said that it was just a storm and told me to wait it out in the library. In hindsight, I realize now that I must've been too young to realize that she was lying to avoid scaring me. I went to the library like my mother said, but just when I had gotten a book to read, Amelia came in. She was using the Enchantix form. She used a secret passageway to take me back to my room. None of it really made sense. I didn't really know what was going on. Just after we made it to my bedroom, I heard the sound of marching and everything in the room was covered by a layer of ice." At this, Icy's eyes widened. "I was scared and asked what was happening, but Amelia didn't answer. I just remember her apologizing to me before I suddenly woke up."

"It sounds like you were dreaming about the day you were sent to Earth." Daphne theorized.

Rosella scrunched up her nose in confusion, "But why would I only dream about that _now_, after all this time?"

"Do you know how you lost your memories?" Daphne asked.

"Grandma thinks that somebody used a spell to erase my memories before sending me away."

"And I agree." Daphne said with a nod, "From the sound of it, the spell was intended to return your memories to you in increments in response to a set condition."

"A set condition?" Bloom asked in confusion, "Like what?"

"It's hard to say." Daphne said with a shrug. "It could be her enrollment here at Alfea, or it might just have been set to start returning her memories when she reached a certain level with her powers." The young woman looked thoughtful, "I used to know somebody named Amelia. She was a nymph, like me, and my best friend. But there's no guarantee that the Amelia in your dream is the same person. Do you remember anything else about her?"

"I... I think she said that she was the guardian fairy of my realm..." Rosella replied. "But why would she erase my memories to start with?"

"Probably to protect you." Daphne replied, "Based on the way the spell seems to work, she probably wanted to ensure that you wouldn't try to return home before you were ready. Do you have anything else that might be of use?"

"Just this." Rosella said as she pulled the book from earlier out of her bag. "It's the book that I had in my dream. Grandma said that when she found me, I was clutching it as though my life depended on it."

"'Fairy Tales from All the Realms.'" Musa read aloud. "What's it about?"

"Its a collection of stories from every realm in the Magical Universe." Rosella answered, "Some are fictional, and others are quite real. Whenever a new story takes place, this book adds it to its pages. Sometimes it doesn't add the story until its complete, and sometimes, it adds them as they occur. It's mostly organized by the primary location of the story, or the realm where it was written, but sometimes, it has sections that are about a specific group of people. You guys have your own section. There's one about the Nymphs too. Or at least... there's supposed to be... but..."

"But...?" Flora prompted.

"For some reason, the only story in that section is the story of how the Sirenix transformation came to be cursed." Rosella said with a confused look. "The rest of its pages are blank. There's also an entire section that's blank and doesn't even have a title to it. Considering its placement, it's like... there should be an entire realm's worth of stories there that are just... gone."

"Maybe they haven't been written yet?" Aisha suggested, but Rosella shook her head.

"No. Whenever a new story is written, new pages appear in the book." She explained, "Its like these pages should contain something, but they don't."

"Maybe Amelia also used a spell to remove any mention of your realm from that book." Tecna suggested, "The same way that Ogron erased Roxy and Rick's memories of Morgana and removed all traces of Morgana from their belongings."

"That would make sense." Daphne agreed, "Especially if the book would somehow contain who Amelia was trying to protect Rosella from in the first place."

"I'm amazed this book isn't already as big as your head." Darcy cut in. "How many pages have been added to that thing over the years?"

"I've learned that there's no rhyme or reason where the size of enchanted tomes are involved." Rosella said.

"Would you mind if I borrowed this book to see if I can find something?" Daphne asked, "I'll also try to find information about Amelia to see if I can find out where you came from."

"Sure." Rosella said, carefully handing the book over, "But this is my favorite book. Its all I have left of my past and if any of the sections grow thicker, I want to know immediately, since that will mean a new story."

Daphne laughed slightly, "I'll take good care of it and let you know, Rosella."

"In the meantime..." Stella interrupted, "We need to discuss preparations for tonight's party. Why don't we start by looking through your closet?"

"Um, shouldn't the food and decorations be a bigger priority?" Rosella asked as the Winx guided her out of the room with the Trix following.

"Oh, you have _so _much to learn." Stella said.

ウィンクズ

"All right!" Stella said enthusiastically when they had made it into Rosella's room, "Let's see what you've got in your closet!"

Rosella's eyes widened and she held out a hand to try and stop the older girl. "No! You really shouldn't-"

"What the?!" Stella exclaimed in alarm, "What the _heck _is this?" She added while pulling out an old-fashioned red gown with long sleeves and tiered skirt.

Rosella sighed. "My grandma makes most of my clothes herself and she has no fashion sense." She said as she took the gown back from Stella and hung it back up. "Trust me, there is _nothing_ in this closet worthy of a formal party from _this_ decade."

"What's in this?" Stella asked as she picked up a box from the closet floor, and Rosella's eyes widened in panic.

"No!" She exclaimed, snatching the box from Stella before she could open it and hugging it protectively. "The contents of this box are _extremely_ private!"

"Honestly Stella, quit snooping through Rosella's stuff." Bloom said in exasperation as Rosella set the box on a dresser on the other side of the room.

"Fine. If you don't have anything in here, then let's go to my boutique and see what we can whip up." Stella suggested.

"I appreciate that, Miss Stella, but I'd really rather just go shopping for the party in Magix with my roommates." Rosella said. "I've never really had the experience of going shopping with friends for a party before, you know?" While what she said was true, Rosella was also trying to get the Winx and Trix in separate vicinities as soon as possible, before Stormy lost her temper.

"You're not going to have time to go shopping and coordinate everything for the party." Tecna pointed out.

"And that's where you guys _can_ help me." The redhead said as she reached into her purse. "I've already planned everything out, it just needs to be set up." She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Bloom. "Here's a list of the food to be made, complete with recipes." She pulled out another paper and handed it to Flora. "Here's a list of the decorations we need." She handed the next paper to Tecna. "This is a list of the tech will need, as well as the lighting setup." She handed one more paper to Musa, "And finally, here's a list of everything we need for the music, including a playlist of songs. Oh! And before I forget!" She pulled out one last paper and handed it to Aisha, "This is how everything should be arranged within the ballroom. I want everything all shuffled up so that people won't try to form bubbles."

"This is an interesting decor scheme." Flora said.

"Thanks." Rosella said, "I'm going for something along the lines of Earth in the Middle Ages, in order to include elements that the fairies, specialists, and witches will all appreciate, you know? Beautiful flowers, gothic motifs, and dragons."

"That actually sounds pretty good." Icy remarked.

"What is this 'slime punch'?" Bloom asked as she looked at the food list.

"Oh that? It tastes like party punch and looks like bubbling green slime! It took me a while to get the recipe right." Rosella said. "It's kind of something that you might use a Halloween party or something."

"'Black lights'?" Stella read off of Tecna's list. "What are those?"

"Well they're not really black, they're more purple, but they really don't give off much light." Rosella explained, "However, they make everything around them look different than normal. It's super cool and weird. It works best in a dark environment, but the disco ball should prevent it from being _too_ dark."

"You've really put a lot of thought into this." Darcy said in surprise as she and Stormy looked over a couple of the lists from over the Winx's shoulders.

"Of course! The whole point is to show everyone that it's possible for us all to have fun together!" The young fairy grinned. "So can I count on you guys to set everything up for me?"

"You got it." Aisha replied.

"Great! Then the four of us will be back and ready in time to welcome all of the guests!"

ウィンクズ

"You're super weird, you know that, right?" Stormy asked as the four of them walked in Magix a little while later.

"Tell me something I haven't heard, St-er, Sunny." Rosella replied.

"So what are you planning to wear to this thing?" Darcy asked, "And are you sure you're prepared for this? If you show the slightest lapse in confidence, the witches are going to walk _all _over you."

"I've managed to survive with you three." Rosella said pointedly, "Interacting with witches, I can handle. What scares me is having to give a speech when the party begins. What am I supposed to say? Everybody already thinks I'm a little nuts."

"Just speak from your heart." Icy told her, "You're good at that. And for some reason, it seems like when _you _speak from your heart, your heart speaks to others in the process."

Rosella smiled weakly, "I'll try."

ウィンクズ

A little while later, the redheaded fairy walked down the streets of Magix with a shopping bag in her hand. "Thanks for helping me find the right outfit, you guys."

"Yeah, well, we kind of owed you." Darcy replied. Rosella rolled her eyes, but then frowned and looked at the sky.

"What is it?" Icy asked, noticing the girl's expression.

"Something isn't right..." Rosella said, "There's something in the air..." Her eyes widened, "This feeling... I know this feeling!"

"Huh?" Stormy asked when the sound of thunder cracking suddenly got their attention. The Trix and Rosella looked up to see a dark vortex of clouds spreading across the sky of Magix as the wind picked up, flashes of purple lightning appearing sporadically. Icy's eyes widened.

"This is exactly like...!" Suddenly, Rosella groaned and Icy looked at her to see the young fairy clutching her head, "Rosella? What's wrong?"

Rosella's eyes were wide as she trembled, "Everything... everything on Magix is afraid..." She managed, "The plants, the animals, the people, they're all terrified!"

Icy reached out to the girl, but then saw a bolt of lightning hit the ground. "Trix! Get ready to fight!"

ウィンクズ

Meanwhile, back at Alfea, Daphne knocked on the door of Faragonda's office before entering when she heard the woman's reply. "Daphne, what is it?" The elder fairy asked.

"I think I may have discovered which realm Rosella is from." Daphne said as she set a history book on Faragonda's desk. "She mentioned that her realm's guardian fairy had been named Amelia, so I checked to see if it was the same Amelia that I used to know and I found..." She stopped and looked out the window.

"Hm? What is it, Daphne?" Faragonda asked, and the young woman pointed behind her superior.

"That... doesn't look good."

Faragonda turned toward the window and her eyes widened as she saw what Daphne meant. "Oh my!"

"It looks like its focal point is right above Magix." Daphne remarked.

"Miss Faragonda!" Came the voice of Flora before said fairy came dashing into the room.

"What is it, Flora?" Faragonda asked her.

"Nature is afraid. It's terrified!" Flora said.

Faragonda's expression grew more serious, "Flora, do you know where Rosella is?"

"She went to Magix with her roommates to find an outfit for the party." Flora answered.

"I'll go after her right away!" Daphne exclaimed.

ウィンクズ

"I've finally found you, Princess Rosella of Soulstice..." Said the unusual witch who had appeared from the bolt of lightning.

"Who... who are you?" Rosella asked fearfully.

"Shaman Witch!" Icy exclaimed as she strode forward, having ditched her disguise in favor of her usual appearance.

"Icy...?" Rosella asked in surprise.

"Icy?" The witch repeated before smiling with familiarity, "Princess Icy of Dyamond. My, how you've grown. I seem to recall that your hair used to be blonde. No matter. I'm not here for you." She turned back to Rosella, "You're afraid, aren't you, Rosella? Or rather, you're troubled because everyone and everything around you is afraid, and you can feel their fear." She held her hand out to the frightened teen, "Just come with me, and all of that fear you feel will go away."

Icy pushed Rosella back, stepping between her and the Shaman Witch. "Back off! I won't let you touch her!"

"Oh?" The Shaman Witch seemed mildly interested and surprised. "You seem to be more rebellious than the last time I saw you as well."

"That's right, I am. I cowered before you back on Dyamond, but I've sworn to never do so again! I won't run away this time, and I won't let you do as you please!" Icy's eyes widened as a bright light suddenly appeared around her. "Huh?"

_Icy_

_The courage_

_That you sought_

_Will be as cool as your ice_

The light faded and Icy found that her outfit had changed to a lighter blue. It looked vaguely like a cross between a new fairy's costume, her Dark Witch outfit, and her normal witch outfit. There was also a pair of shimmering wings on her back.

"She actually transformed into a fairy!" Darcy exclaimed.

"I'm not sure if we should be happy or not." Stormy admitted.

"Well, it seems you really are determined to defy me this time." The Shaman Witch remarked, "You want that much to be like your sister? Then you can join her as an animal!" She rose into the air, holding her hand out.

Rosella's eyes widened, instantly sensing the energy that was gathering around Icy. "No!" The teenager cried, stepping in front of the older fairy and holding her hands up, a glittering white shield appearing around the two of them.

The Shaman Witch withdrew her hand as she felt her spell vanish. "What?"

"Did you just... cancel out her spell?" Icy asked in shock as Rosella's shield vanished.

_"A fairy doesn't have to **know** how, she just **does** it."_

Stella's words rang in the teenager's mind as she glared up at the Shaman Witch. "I may not know what it is you want with me, but I _do _know that nothing will be resolved if I go with you."

_"In order to transform, a fairy must possess courage, a strong will, and full belief in her magical abilities." _Tecna had said.

"I am the Fairy of Empathy. Above all, I desire for everyone to have harmonious hearts. So if someone is sad, I'll do whatever I can to make them happy. If someone is scared, I'll do everything I can to make them feel safe again. And whenever somebody tries to disrupt the harmony, I will stand against them!"

_Rosella_

_Your pure heart_

_Is a light_

_That will guide others through the dark_

Just like Icy, Rosella's appearance had changed. She now wore a sparkling white dress. The scalloped hem featured bright pink hearts, and the short sleeves were similarly trimmed. She wore long, white gloves with pink cuffs and white boots with pink soles. On her head was a scalloped tiara, and there was a small, pink, heart-shaped jewel on her chest.

"Whoa." Said Stormy, her mind trying to keep up with the sudden whirl of events.

"We need to combine our powers, Icy, that's the only way." Rosella told her friend, "My attack magic isn't much of anything, but I can use my powers to make yours stronger."

"Then convergence it is." Icy agreed.

"We'll help you." Darcy said as she and Stormy flew up to the two of them.

"While I appreciate the thought, it's better if you don't. Or at least, don't attack." Rosella told the two of them. "From what I can tell, this witch's powers are like the three of you combined. Remember what I said before about combating negative energy with negative energy? Besides, I can't adjust my powers for you guys and Icy at the same time. But if you could watch our backs, that would be appreciated." She and Icy joined hands in order to combine their powers.

"Pure white blizzard!" They both exclaimed as they thrust their free hands forward, a dazzling attack of ice and snow combining with the pink sparkles of Rosella's magic. The Shaman Witch held out her hand, expecting to simply wave off the attack, but to her surprise, the attack actually knocked her back.

"I see." The witch said as she picked herself up, "I had forgotten just how powerful a fairy from your family could be. Attack, my golems!"

As the witch's ice golems marched toward them, Rosella carefully observed them. "They look pretty solid, but ice can be broken. We need hit them with an attack that's sharp."

"Got it." Icy said.

"Pure crystal shards!"

The hard, sharp shards of ice managed to crack through the golems, causing them to fall apart. The Shaman Witch frowned in annoyance and shot forth a bolt of lightning at the girls.

"Pure Ice Shield!" Icy and Rosella exclaimed, holding up their hands to shield themselves, Darcy, and Stormy, though it was clearly a strain. The Shaman Witch smiled as she noticed this.

"It doesn't seem like you four will last much longer." She remarked.

"Flame Spiral!"

The Shaman Witch instantly jumped back to avoid the flaming attack and Daphne flew down in front of Icy and Rosella.

"Professor Daphne!" Rosella exclaimed.

Daphne didn't reply as she stared down the Shaman Witch. "I don't know who you are..." She looked over her shoulder, looking confused by the transformed Icy with Darcy and Stormy in the rear, "...Or _what_ is going on..." She turned back to the Shaman Witch, "But I will _not_ allow you to harm my student!"

The Shaman Witch frowned. "Daphne... the Nymph of Domino... I had heard that you'd been freed from the Curse of Sirenix... It seems I have choice but to take my leave." She looked over at Rosella and Icy, "But mark my words, Princess Rosella, this is _not_ over, and _you, _Icy, would be wise to stay out of my way next time." The Shaman Witch disappeared in a flash and the sky instantly cleared.

Stormy looked utterly confused. "Seriously? _Daphne_ shows up and she immediately turns tail and runs?"

"It's not that, Stormy." Icy said, "Remember what she said earlier about Rosella? I think the Shaman Witch was afraid of what would happen if Rosella combined her powers with a Sirenix Fairy, especially a nymph like Daphne."

"Never mind that." Daphne interrupted, "Are you okay Rosella?"

"I'm fine..." Rosella said before suddenly returning to her normal form. She would've fallen flat on her face if Daphne hadn't caught her.

"Whoa! Easy!" Daphne said, helping the girl stand up right and smiling gently at her, "The first time transforming is always the most exhausting."

Rosella smiled weakly at that.

"Daphne!" Came the voice of Bloom, and the Winx came flying over in their Cosmix forms.

"What happened?" Musa asked in confusion, "We rushed over to help you, but it looks like the fight is already over."

"What are the Trix doing here?" Aisha wanted to know.

"And _when _did Icy become a fairy?" Stella asked in utter confoundment.

Rosella looked over at Icy, Darcy and Stormy and smiled weakly, "I don't think we can keep it a secret at this point."

"Keep what a secret?" Tecna asked with a raised brow.

Rosella looked at the Winx and Daphne sheepishly, "Well you see... the Trix are... kind of my roommates."

"Say what now?" Aisha replied.

"Uh, can I explain back at Alfea? I really don't want to tell the same story twice and I'm going to have to explain to Headmistress Faragonda anyway." Rosella asked.

"Fair enough." Daphne said.

* * *

So, you all can stop making guesses now about where Rosella is from, although exactly what kind of realm it is... well, you'll have to wait and see. ;) Also, the little short bits when Icy and Rosella transform is based off of the parts of the original Winx transformation song that were for each individual girl. Oh, and Rosella's song is a parody of All is Found from Frozen II and will be important later on.


	6. Polaris

"...So didn't I didn't tell anyone and helped the Trix learn the basics of light magic because I could sense that Icy was seeking knowledge for a pure and noble reason, and that Darcy and Stormy were sincere about wanting to help her." Rosella concluded as she—with the help of Icy—explained why she'd been with the Trix in Magix to Faragonda, Griselda, Daphne, and the Winx in Faragonda's office. She looked down at the floor, unable to meet the gaze of the adults. "I know that I made a decision that wasn't mine to make, but... I was afraid that if I said anything, nobody would listen to my feelings about it afterward..." She closed her eyes with resignation, "I take full responsibility for my actions in this matter and if you think I should be expelled, I won't argue." Now she opened her eyes and met Faragonda's gaze with confidence, "However, I'm afraid I cannot apologize because I still believe that helping them was the right thing to do. I made my decision fully aware of what the consequences might be and prepared to accept them."

"That's good to hear..." Griselda began, "Because I hope you realize that not only have you committed a grave transgression, Rosella, but you placed all of your fellow students in danger to boot."

"Now, now Griselda..." Faragonda interrupted, holding her hand up to silence the woman before focusing on the girl seated before her. "Rosella, you are correct in saying that you made a decision that was not yours to make... however... trusting and following one's instincts is an important part of being a fairy. I won't reprimand you for doing what you believed was right, but you _still _should've been upfront about the matter. Honesty is _always_ the best policy."

"Yes Miss Faragonda. I'm sorry I didn't come to you right away. I should've trusted you more." The redhead admitted.

Faragonda nodded, "We can discuss your punishment for hiding the truth tomorrow. For right now, I believe Professor Daphne had something she wanted to tell us regarding your origins."

Rosella's head swiftly turned in Daphne's direction. "You found something?"

"I think so." Daphne said with a nod. She picked up a book and opened it to a page she had bookmarked, setting the bookmark aside and holding up the book so Rosella could see the picture. "Is this the fairy you saw in your dream?"

"Yes! That's her!" Rosella exclaimed.

Daphne nodded again and looked at the book. "I thought so... this is Amelia, the Fairy of Memories. She was a nymph like me. Actually, she was my best friend a long time ago."

"'Was'?" Rosella repeateded uncertainly.

"Her current status is... unknown." Daphne admitted, not wanting to sugarcoat it, but also not wanting to make it sound worse than it potentially was. "Amelia was the Nymph of Soulstice, a planet where people's powers are related to their hearts and minds. She was orphaned as a child, but her aunt and uncle, who were the rulers of Soulstice, raised her as their own daughter. However, I remember Amelia telling me that because she was not of royal blood, they still needed to have a child of their own. You see, the royal family was charged with keeping the Heart of Soulstice in harmony."

"The Heart of Soulstice?" Rosella asked.

"I'm not sure what it is... exactly, but I do know that the Heart of Soulstice contains the collective emotional energy of the entire realm. Only members of the royal bloodline can use their empathetic powers to keep the realm in harmony." Daphne explained. "Actually, to be more specific, only someone of royal blood can even access the heart. That's probably the reason why Amelia erased your memories and sent you to Earth when you were young, as well as the reason why that witch was after you. I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing that she can't completely conquer your planet so long as she is unable to access the Heart."

"But what was it she gains from all of this anyway?" Rosella wondered, "When she conquered Dyamond, she cursed the whole planet and encased everything in ice. But why? Usually, when someone says they want to rule something, they kind of actually want somebody to rule _over."_

"It seems that will require more research." Faragonda remarked. "I will consult with Griffin on the matter. Perhaps she will know something more about this Shaman Witch. In the meantime, Rosella, you should prepare for tonight's party. The guests will be arriving soon. Icy, Darcy, and Stormy, you are welcome to attend, but I would ask that you continue disguising yourselves for now so as not to alarm the students."

"We understand." Icy said with a nod before turning to Rosella and placing her hands on her shoulders. "Now let's go make sure you look fabulous before you go greet the guests."

"Oh, one more thing..." Daphne said, "You can have your book back Rosella." She held Rosella's book out to the teen.

Rosella smiled as she took it, and then blinked. "Hey... new pages have been added! I can tell because the space between two of the tabs has increased."

"What's the new story about?" Flora asked as Rosella flipped through the pages before looking confused.

"There's not a title..." She said in confusion, before turning the page, her eyes widening as she did. "No way!"

"What?" Stella asked.

Rosella looked at Faragonda, who nodded to her, and Rosella sat back down with the book in her lap.

"This is the story of two princesses, their journey to rescue their realms, and the friends they made along the way. Long ago, there was peaceful realm called Dyamond, the kingdom of crystals. The kingdom was ruled by a benevolent queen who had two daughters, Icy and Sapphire, who loved each other very much. One day, the two princesses were playing in a meadow when an evil witch descended upon their kingdom. The witch approached the young princesses and demanded to know where she could find their mother. When the younger sister, Sapphire, openly defied her, the witch cursed the young princess by turning her into a fox cub. She then approached Icy and asked again where she could find the queen. Terrified by her sister's fate, Icy pointed the way, and could only watch as her kingdom was conquered and cursed by the Shaman Witch. Left alone as the only one spared, Icy grieved the fate of her family and kingdom before vowing to obtain the power to save the ones she loved. Thus, the young girl left her home and set out to learn how to be a witch.'

"Not too far away was another harmonious realm called Soulstice, where people openly communicated with one another and lived peacefully. In addition to a benevolent king and queen, the realm was home to one of the nine Nymphs of Magix. Amelia, the Fairy of Memories, worked closely with her aunt and uncle to guard the realm from harm. The king and queen also has a daughter, Rosella, who would someday inherit the duty of preserving the balance and harmony that Soulstice enjoyed. Amelia lovingly watched over her cousin, vowing to keep her safe. However, one day, the Shaman Witch came and attacked the realm. Amelia prepared to stand by the queen and defend the kingdom, but that was not to be. Because of the curse of Syrenix, Amelia could not access her full powers as the Nymph of Soulstice. The most she could do was to rely upon her Enchantix powers. Knowing that this placed them at a disadvantage and seeing the great power that the witch held, the queen bade Amelia to ensure Rosella's safety, in order to secure their kingdom's future. Amelia took the frightened princess and fled with her to another part of the castle. Meanwhile, after killing the queen, the witch tried to access the Heart of Soulstice, which contained the collective emotional energy of the realm and would grant her complete control of the planet. However, she soon discovered that only someone of royal blood could access the Heart, but it was already too late. In order to protect the kingdom, Amelia erased Rosella's memories of her identity and sent her to a planet where fairies were thought to no longer exist. There, Rosella was discovered by a retired fairy, who took her in and raised her as her granddaughter.'

"Sometime after finding her, Rosella's new guardian took her to Magix, in order to consult with an old friend about the child's appearance. While playing on a nearby playground, Rosella met Icy, now a young teen, who was just about to begin her studies at the Cloud Tower College for Witches. Sensing Icy's sadness regarding her sister and planet, the young fairy approached the older girl, ignoring the opinion of other young fairies that she ought to stay away from witches in favor of seeking to ease the pain in Icy's heart. Icy couldn't help but be bewildered by the free-spirited little fairy, who offered her a bouquet of unique flowers before returning to her grandmother.'

"Several years passed and many things happened. Icy, having fully immersed herself in her studies of the dark arts, came to forget her quest in favor of seeking to conquer the Magical Universe with her friends, Darcy and Stormy. The trio became known as the Trix, and were renowned as the most feared witches alive. However, whilst they were temporarily imprisoned in limbo, Icy began to remember who she truly was.

Meanwhile, Rosella grew into an awkward teenaged fairy whose unique powers and equally unique way of viewing the world made it quite difficult to fit in. Seeking to learn to at least control her powers, Rosella enrolled in the Alfea College for Fairies.'

"It came to pass that during a battle for the fate of the Magical Dimension, Icy began to grasp the courage she had originally sought to gain, choosing for the first time to make a stand and fight for her own beliefs...'

"And yet, she wondered...'

"What was the difference between her, Icy, the princess of Dyamond, and Bloom, the princess of Domino, whose own fate had once been very similar to her own? Why was Bloom, unlike her, able to protect that which was important to her? Seeking the answer to that question, Icy, Darcy, and Stormy disguised themselves as fairies and enrolled in Alfea for the same term as Rosella. As fate would have it, Rosella was assigned as their roommate, and she instantly recognized the three.'

"However, unlike other young fairies, Rosella was not afraid, and instead offered her assistance in Icy's search for knowledge. Little did she know that by doing so, she would find herself as well."

"That's it?" Stormy said incredulously.

"It looks like that was only the first chapter." Rosella remarked as she bookmarked the page.

"If that was the first chapter, then this is going to be a _long_ story." Darcy replied.

Rosella nodded, "I need to do more checking in my book, but it can wait for later. For now, let's go get ready." At that, she stood up and left with her friends.

ウィンクズ

"All right, what should we do first?" Stormy asked. "Hair? Dress? Makeup?"

"Hey, you didn't lose your dress when we were attacked, did you?" Darcy asked, suddenly realizing that she wasn't sure where said dress was.

"No, I put the entire shopping bag into my purse just before the Shaman Witch showed up." Rosella said, reaching into her bag and pulling out her dress.

Icy smiled, "Good to know you think ahead."

Rosella smiled, then blinked before looking toward the outer wall of their dorm. "Hm? Grandma's here. So is Selina. They're in Faragonda's office, but it feels like Selina is heading this direction."

"You know Selina?" Stormy asked in surprise.

"You realize that the fairy population of Gardenia is pretty small, right?" The redhead asked.

"Of _course_ you're from Gardenia." Darcy said with a roll of her eyes.

"Actually, there is a reason for that." Rosella said, "Both Bloom and I appeared in or near Gardenia when we were sent to Earth because Gardenia was the place where the last spark of magic on Earth existed."

"What are you talking about?" Stormy asked.

"You guys know about why, for a long time, fairies were thought to have disappeared from Earth completely, right?" Rosella asked.

"We know the gist." Darcy confirmed.

"The truth is that Earth's magic never completely disappeared. When she was a young woman, Morgana, the queen of the Earth Fairies, went to live among humans, in order to learn what life without magic was like." The girl explained. "It was in Gardenia that she met and fell in love with a human man, whom she married. Eventually, she was trapped by the Wizards of the Black Circle, just like the other Earth fairies. However, during the time that she lived in Gardenia, two fairies were born. Selina was one of them. She was born as a result of Morgana's powers preserving a trace of magic on Earth. The second was Morgana's own daughter, Roxy. It was also during this time that Bloom was sent to Earth. That was more than a century ago for most other worlds, but Earth's time was out sync with the rest of the universe for a really long time because of how little magic it had. So by the time Morgana was trapped, there were two other young fairies whose powers had not yet manifested, which resulted in that last spark in Gardenia continuing to be preserved. Even when Selina was tainted by Asheron's power as a middle schooler, it was still kept alive by the presence of Roxy. With the help of the Winx, Roxy succeeded in freeing the Earth Fairies and restoring magic to Earth. But that's why everything tends to center around Gardenia. Because for a long time, it was the place that held the last spark of Earth's magic, and, for a while at least, it was the place in which the magic was strongest."

"Huh. I guess that explains a lot." Darcy said.

"Enough about that. Let's get you into this dress before Selina gets here. You're running out of time, Rosella." Icy pointed out.

"Oh! You're right!"

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door to their dorm.

"Come on in, Selina!" Rosella called through the open door to her room.

The door opened and Selina walked in, glancing around before smiling to herself and walking into Rosella's room. "I'd ask how you knew it was me, but this is _you _we're talking about."

"Yeah, yeah." Rosella muttered, already wearing her dress and in the process of brushing her hair. Selina shook her head.

"You've only been here two days and you've nearly given Eldora a heart attack. She's not exactly young you know." The green-haired fairy remarked in amusement as Rosella sat on her bed to fix her heels.

"I'm not even sure what qualifies as 'old', Selina. Fairies have a much longer lifespan than humans." The younger girl remarked.

"Fair enough." Selina admitted before grinning again. "But you know, I'm not sure if I know of any other fairy who could turn an entire school upside down by the first day of the school year."

Rosella glared at her, although it held a hint of playfulness. "_You,_ of all people, have no right to tease me about my 'crazy' ideas."

"But that's what big sisters are for." Selina teased playfully. Rosella rolled her eyes and stood up before grabbing her gloves. "I heard you finally managed to transform." Selina said, still smiling, but no longer teasing. "So does that mean that you've finally figured your powers out?"

"I'm getting there..." Rosella replied as she slipped on her second glove before looking at her roommates. "Let me introduce you. This is Sapphire, Sunny, and Darla."

"AKA, your rogue roommates." Selina remarked with an amused smirk.

Icy raised a brow. "Faragonda told you?" She guessed.

"Um, yeah." Selina said bluntly as she stood up, "But whatever. I'm not too worried. Rosella's got a better head on her shoulders than me."

Rosella walked over to her dresser and picked up the box that she had told Stella not to look in earlier that.

"Oh, so you're gonna show us what's in there now?" Stormy asked with interest.

"Yeah, now that I have an idea of what it really is." Rosella said as she unlocked the box before opening the lid to reveal a silver tiara with a heart shaped cut out and pink, rhombus-shaped gem dangling in the center.

"_That's _what you were so embarrassed about?" Icy asked incredulously.

"When I was a kid, I used to run around while wearing this, pretending to be one of the many, _many _princesses in my book." Rosella explained. "I thought it was just something that I played dress up with that Grandma kept because she's sentimental. Now I remember though. This was mine back when I lived on Soulstice." She smiled to herself and set the tiara upon her head.

"Not bad." Selina said thoughtfully, "But it needs something more. You should do something with your hair. Put it up or something."

"I don't have time for anything complicated, Selina." Rosella told her.

"With your curls, complicated isn't necessary. All you need is a nice ponytail." Icy said with a wave her hand, changing Rosella's hair so that it was pulled back into a high ponytail. "Hm... still not right..." She muttered. "Ah, I know! You need a white ribbon to match your dress and shoes!" She added a neatly tied ribbon to the ponytail. "With a heart-shaped crystal to match your tiara." She accented the bow with a pink crystal in the center. "And matching earrings." A simple pair of heart-shaped crystal earrings appeared on the girl's ears. "And finally, some crystals on the sash of your dress to tie it all together." With a final wave of her hand, Icy added a pink, heart-shaped crystal to the knot of Rosella's sash, along with rhombus shaped crystals along her waist.

"Uh, she's supposed to be greeting witches." Darcy reminded her friend. "The crystals are fine, but don't you think all the hearts are little excessive?"

"No." Rosella said firmly. "I am the princess of Soulstice. The shape of a heart is practically my family's crest." She turned and smiled at the older girls, "I have to believe in my identity. How frilly my outfit is doesn't matter. I just need to have confidence."

Selina smiled and nodded as she placed her hands on her hips. "Atta girl, Ro. Now get down there and make everyone _believe _in your feelings."

Rosella nodded and looked at Icy, Darcy, and Stormy, "I guess you guys will meet me down there when you're ready?" At that, the three girls snapped their fingers and were instantly dressed for the party. Rosella gaped, and then pouted. "That is _so_ not fair."

Icy smirked in amusement, "Rosella, I could do more complicated metamorphosis spells than what I just did to your hair when I was like, twelve."

Selina snickered. "I think Ro accidentally trapped herself in a mirror when she was twelve."

"I can't believe she told you about that!" Rosella exclaimed with mortification. "Ugh! Don't come down there if you're just going to tease me, Selina!"

Selina smiled at the flustered redhead, "Don't worry. I'll be busy making sure Eldora _doesn't _embarrass you."

Rosella blanched, and then face-palmed. "Ugh. Why couldn't today have just gone _smoothly?"_

ウィンクズ

After she had finally finished greeting all of the guests, Rosella entered the ballroom herself to find that the party was going relatively smoothly. People were mingling. The problem was that none of the fairies were interacting with the witches, or vice-versa—unless it was to fight over a handsome Specialist. The young princess took a deep breath to calm herself and then looked over at Icy, Darcy, and Stormy as they walked over to her.

"I'll admit, Ro, this party is actually pretty good." Stormy said.

"Yeah. Everyone actually seems like they're having a good time." Darcy added.

"Great." Said Rosella. "Now if I can just get the crowd to mix-together a little more."

"Well, I'd say that welcome speech of yours is a good place to start." Icy said.

Rosella nodded and the three watched her walk toward the stage. "I don't know if that girl is brave or just plain crazy." Stormy remarked once Rosella was out of earshot.

After being introduced by Faragonda, Rosella walked onto the stage. She couldn't help but feel nervous under the condescending expressions of both the fairies and the witches, but she remembered what Icy said about speaking from her heart and stepped up to the mic. "Good evening. I hope everyone is enjoying themselves. I know you all think I'm a little weird or crazy, but... have you ever heard the saying, 'Don't judge a book by its cover?' Well, look around you. How can you decide if you like a person or not by only looking at the surface? You have to find out what's inside." She smiled softly, "I know two girls who seemed like they were total opposites and destined to be enemies for life, but underneath all of the falsities and preconceptions, they were really very alike. They had similar fates and similar dreams. They spent so much time assuming they knew all there was to know about each other, that they never realized that they were kindred spirits." Her smile broadened, "This song is dedicated to the both of them, their sisters, and everyone who is like them. It's called 'Polaris'." She nodded to Musa and then began to sing, "On that day, I swore I would keep you safe... It's a promise I have made in my heart!" Rosella danced as the musical intro played, and then stepped back up to the mic as silhouetted drawings made by Bloom appeared on the screen with the help of Tecna. "If I had to give my world to save a life, I would. I'd sacrifice everything and wouldn't even think twice. I'd offer it happily with a smile on my face. I don't think I've ever felt this way before." She closed her eyes as her magic began to swirl through the room, "A reason to live... I have found that I don't need to hide these scars. All my faults, they are making me strong. They only give me reason to live on!" She opened her eyes as she pulled the mic from its stand. "So today, I will wipe away every single tear. And its true, I would give up everything for you. So just please, promise me that you won't give up just yet! On that day, I swore I would keep you safe! It's a promise I have made in my heart...!" Icy and Bloom both smiled as they remembered the day when Icy had given the last Prime Star to Bloom. "Everyday, somebody makes a sacrifice... That's why we're able to continue on the fight and live our lives. From the fear of losing, I am no longer afraid—But that doesn't mean I've given up on all my dreams!" Rosella abruptly transformed as she continued, "I will stay! I won't run away and hide in the past! I will become the me that I'm striving to be!" She began to hover in the air. "Even if that is nothing more than a hopeful wish..." She began to fly around the room. "I hope I can reach you even just a little bit!" As she flew, Rosella's magic conveyed the strength of her feelings to the students. She landed on the stage just before singing the bridge. "If you're strong, I believe you protect those in need; you don't rise above the weak! And that thing you should seek isn't gold victory. Maybe, that's just me..." She closed her eyes as she reverted to her normal form and walked forward. "If I had to give my world to save a life, I would... But I'd never forget you..." She smiled again before dancing to the break that followed and then finishing her song. "So today, I will wipe away every single tear. And it's true that I would give up everything for you! So just please, promise me that you won't give up just yet... On that day, I swore I would keep you safe... It's a promise I have made in my heart... Even if the fading light we hold is all we know, let's go...! Let's go...!"

* * *

Okay, yeah, I should've posted this a while back, but I put off proofreading it because I was working on other stuff. And, also, trying to work out some important plot details in my head.

The song for this chapter is Amalee's English cover of Polaris, which is honestly one of my favorites of hers.


End file.
